Werther Upsets Lovely Day in HK's QEII Cup

Werther accelerated clear of front-runner and favorite Lovely Day in the stretch and won the HK$20 million Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup (HK-I) by 4 1/2 lengths April 24 at Sha Tin.

Lovely Day, Japan's reigning champion older horse, was unable to lengthen stride on the rain-soaked ground, as Werther drew even with 300 meters out. Jockey Hugh Bowman got the desired response when he gave the cue and Werther shook free to victory.

Werther was ideally positioned in midpack, one path off the fence and with Lovely Day in his sights, as Helene Super Star settled on the front end and set strong tempo that had him out of steam before the home turn.

Helene Happy Star was up to take charge, but Lovely Day was moving comfortably through an inside run under Joao Moreira and snatched control 400 meters out, but could not overcome the yielding turf.

Werther was timed in 2:01.32 for about 1 1/4 miles.

"We've gone a good gallop, but that's what happens when you get a world-class field," Bowman said. "I was able to get on the back of Lovely Day, although I had to go back to the inside to do that. I felt I was travelling well enough to follow the rhythm wherever that was. He was certainly breathtaking when he went to the front."

Military Attack, the 2013 QEII Cup victor, ran on for second, while last year's winner Blazing Speed finished third to give Hong Kong a 1-2-3 finish. Lovely Day stayed on for fourth, while U.S./Hong Kong group I winner Highland Reel came in eighth after a troubled trip.

Werther provided a further boost to young New Zealand sire Tavistock and became his fourth international group I winner for the 2015-16 season.

Victorious in the last month's Hong Kong Derby, a local group I,  Werther joins Tavago, Tarzino, and Volkstok'n'barrell as top-level winners for the son of Montjeu, who stands at Cambridge Stud and has three crops racing.

Out of the Zabeel mare Bagalollies, Werther won group II races in New Zealand and Australia, twice placing at the group I level—the 2015 Queensland Derby and South Australian Derby—before he was eventually sold Johnson Chen, a client of Hong Kong-based trainer John Moore.

"Next we'll go to the Champions & Chater Cup (HK-I) over a mile and a half here in a month's time and Hugh will be back to ride him," Moore said of plans for Werther, a 4-year-old gelding. "Then we'll give him a break and I'll be trying to pull the owner's leg to go back to Australia for the Cox Plate (Aus-I)."