Hong Kong Derby Up for Grabs

None of the local 4-year-olds has seized the reins in the preliminaries but, since someone has to win the BMW Hong Kong Derby March 21, trainers are looking for a change in circumstances that could put their runners over the top.

Peaking at the right time? Finally acclimated to the Hong Kong surroundings? Perfectly suited to the stretch out to 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles)?

It might take all of the above to win this scrum—the juiciest plum on the local racing calendar for Hong Kong owners. The race dates back to 1873, and despite the proliferation of international group 1 events during the Hong Kong Jockey Club's rise to racing prominence, remains the target of choice for the organization's racing members.

The picture for the Derby has never really achieved focus but was fractured into kaleidoscopic chaos when a trio of long shots—Healthy Happy, Russian Emperor, and Shadow Hero—finished 1-2-3 in the Hong Kong Classic Cup Feb. 21.

The Classic Cup, the middle leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic series culminating in the Derby itself, normally would be the pointer to the big race. But with the favorites in that event, Tourbillon Diamond, Excellent Proposal, and Sky Darci, reporting fifth, fourth, and seventh, respectively—well, not so much.

All six of the aforementioned return for the Derby in a field of 14.

The distances increase as the series goes along, from the starting point of the Hong Kong Classic Mile to 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) in the Classic Cup to the 2,000 meters of the Derby, adding to the uncertainty.

Happy Healthy was seventh in the Mile, then went to the post at odds of 23-1 in the Classic Cup and led all the way, holding off Russian Emperor and Shadow Hero by a pair of noses. So a lot of the attention now goes to the two who were closing the gap in the final strides of that race, particularly as both had outstanding credentials even before arriving in Hong Kong.

Russian Emperor, a Galileo colt formerly trained by Aidan O'Brien, finished seventh in the Investec Derby (G1) and won the Hampton Court Stakes (G3) at Royal Ascot. He has yet to win in three starts in Hong Kong but jockey Karis Teetan said his strong finish in the Classic Cup showed the colt is ready to rock and roll going 2,000 meters.

"I'm looking forward to the Derby this season," said Teetan, whose previous best in the Derby is eighth—twice. "I would say this could be my best Derby ride since I got to Hong Kong. I'm excited and looking forward to it."

Shadow Hero was a dual group 1 winner in Australia, including the 2,000-meter Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (G1) at Randwick Racecourse, and trainer David Hayes said he thinks his runner's time has come.

"Shadow Hero, I think, has hit form at the right time. His lead-up race was really good and he has improved since," Hayes said, referring to the Pierro gelding's Classic Cup effort.

Sky Darci has been promising all through the series, and his connections are counting on a clean trip to help him improve on a seventh-place finish in the Classic Cup.

"He was held up the other day over 1,800 (meters) and wasn't fully tested, and he got beaten a couple of lengths," trainer Caspar Fownes said of Sky Darci. "So, with the extra furlong, if it works out good, he could run a nice race for us."

As much as they may differ on the key factors that can get their horses over the top, on one thing, the participants agree—this race is there for the taking.

"On paper, it's obviously quite a competitive Derby this year. There's probably seven winning chances, really," Fownes said.

Neil Callan, who will ride one of the longer chances, Packing Waltham, said, "Obviously, it's a very open race."

John Size, who will saddle three, had the same message, with some deeper perspective.

"There's a big group of horses in this race that have similar ratings. They're all in very good form, and I think just the circumstances on the day will determine the winner," Size said.

"I wouldn't be degrading these horses. I just think there is a number of very good horses in the race that just happen to be evenly matched. That's the difference."