Hong Kong Sprinter to Have U.S. Prep for BC
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Rich Tapestry, who is looking to become the first horse from Hong Kong to compete in a California stakes, went for an easy gallop at Santa Anita Park on Sept. 30. He is readying for the Oct. 4 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (gr. I) and then the Nov. 1 XpressBet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I).
Trainer Michael Chang walked with Rich Tapestry to the track and watched the gallop from Clocker's Corner. The gelding has traveled to Santa Anita with his groom, Irving Chan, and his exercise rider, Vincent Sit, who was aboard for the gallop.
"We'll give him another easy gallop on Wednesday and then breeze him on Thursday," Chang said.
Rich Tapestry is a mellow, well-traveled 6-year-old, one of the reasons Chang brought him to California. He not only is a multiple stakes winner in Hong Kong; in Dubai this year he won the Mahab Al Shimaal (UAE-III) and finished second in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I).
Rich Tapestry at Santa Anita Park.
"He is good at traveling—it never affects him," Chang said.
Rich Tapestry is also better on dirt and synthetic surfaces than turf, which Chang said made it difficult to find races for him in Hong Kong.
"He has run five times on the dirt and all-weather surfaces and has four wins and one second," Chang said.
Chang said that the only other time a horse from Hong Kong competed in the U.S. was in 1992, when River Verdon ran in the Arlington Million (gr. IT).
Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd. bred Rich Tapestry (Holy Roman Emperor—Genuine Charm, by Sadler's Wells) in Ireland. He was purchased privately after four starts in Ireland and sent to Hong Kong, where he is owned by the partnership of Silas Yang Siu Shun, Wong Tak Wai, Ho Chi Keung, and Cheung Yuk Tak.
Rich Tapestry at Santa Anita Park.
"In Ireland he won over 1,600 meters, and he was trained by the very good trainer Dermot Weld," Chang said. "I ran him a couple of times at 1,600 meters and I was very disappointed. In the track work in the morning, he looked like a superstar."
After Chang gelded Rich Tapestry, switched jockeys to Oliver Doleuze, and shortened him up, the horse started winning.
"I know that the American horses are very fast," Chang said, "but my horse also has always had very good gate speed."
Rich Tapestry at Santa Anita Park.
Doleuze is due to arrive in California Oct. 2 and will ride Rich Tapestry in the six-furlong Sprint Championship against the likes of 2013 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) winner Goldencents , who was second in the Sprint Championship last year. A victory would give Rich Tapestry a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" berth for the Breeders' Cup Sprint.
Watch Rich Tapestry (#5) win the Mahab Al Simaal at Meydan: