Japanese Horses Loom Large in HK International Races

As usual, Hong Kong holds a strong hand for its biggest day, the Longines Hong Kong International Races Dec. 9 at Sha Tin Racecourse.

Three of last year's four winners represented Hong Kong, and all are back to defend their titles—Time Warp in the Longines Hong Kong Cup (G1) at 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles), Mr Stunning in the Longines Hong Kong Sprint (G1) at 1,200 meters (about 6 furlongs), and Beauty Generation in the Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1).

The international contingent is not devoid of hope, however. The Japanese raiders, in particular, boast some impressive credentials. The four fields also include runners from France, England, Ireland, Australia, and Singapore.

Beauty Generation, the reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year, established a track record of 1:32.64 in his most recent start, the BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile (G2), and is the "now" horse with local fans. The 6-year-old, John Moore-trained son of Road to Rock has four straight wins and will be one of the day's hottest tickets when he lines up for the Mile—as long as leading rider Zac Purton can manage the gelding's occasional eccentricities.

"He has these little traits," Moore said after the Dec. 6 barrier draw, where Beauty Generation drew gate 12 in a 14-horse field. "But he doesn't take them onto the track."

Likely to be coming late in the Mile are two Japan-trained runners. Persian Knight, a 4-year-old Harbinger colt, won the Mile Championship (G1) at Kyoto in 2017 and finished second in that same race Nov. 18. Mozu Ascot, a 4-year-old son of Frankel, won the Yasuda Kinen (G1) in June but fizzled in the Mile Championship. Vivlos, a 5-year-old mare with international group 1 experience, completes the Japanese trio for the race.

One Master and Inns of Court, the 1-2 finishers in the Qatar Prix de la Foret (G1) at Longchamp Oct. 7, also will contest the Mile. One Master, a 4-year-old Fastnet Rock filly, finished fifth in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T). Inns of Court is a 4-year-old Invincible Spirit colt trained by Andre Fabre in France for Godolphin.

Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard watched Inns of Court gallop over the all-weather course Dec. 6 and pronounced him "very relaxed and well in himself, and I couldn't be happier with his physical condition. Andre has always felt he was capable of winning a group 1 over a mile, and he was just beaten a head-bob in the (2017) Jacques le Marois (G1), so he is not far off that class."

The Cup, Hong Kong's richest race at HK$28 million (about US$3.58 million) drew a field of only nine—five from Hong Kong, three from Japan, and Stormy Antarctic from Ed Walker's yard in England.

Time Warp has had a massively up-and-down time of it since winning last year's Cup, with a pair of wins mixed in with some last-place showings. In his most recent effort, the 5-year-old Archipenko gelding and his younger full brother, Glorious Forever, burned themselves out on the front end in the BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (G2), won by Eagle Way.

"When he's good, he's very good," said Purton, his regular rider. "When he doesn't want to do it. … For him not to be able to do it now is puzzling. I can't quite work it out."

If it's a down year for the locals in the Cup, it could be a good one for Japan. Sungrazer, a 4-year-old Deep Impact colt, exits a second-place showing in the Oct. 28 Tenno Sho Autumn (G1). Deirdre, a 4-year-old Harbinger filly, was impressive last year in Japan and finished a dead-heat third in the Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (G1) in March at Meydan. Staphanos returns after running fourth in last year's Hong Kong Cup.

Mr Stunning is the defending champ in the Sprint, but Hot King Prawn is the division's rising star. The 4-year-old Australian import, a Denman gelding, has defeated Mr Stunning in their last two races. He is one of four in the 12-horse field trained by John Size, who is high on his chances.

"Everything's fine for him," Size said of Hot King Prawn, who makes his first group 1 start. "It wouldn't surprise me if he continues to move up."

He might have to do just that to handle Japan's top sprinter, Fine Needle. The Godolphin runner, a 5-year-old son of Admire Moon, won both of Japan's grade 1 sprints this season but settled for fourth in his previous Hong Kong appearance, the April 29 Chairman's Sprint Prize (G1). That heat went to Ivictory, who returns for this race after a pair of subpar performances.

Jockey Yuga Kawada galloped Fine Needle over the Sha Tin turf three days before the race and warned, "I think his condition has improved a lot since he won the Sprinters Stakes last time. He is fit and ready."

Hong Kong horses seldom compete beyond 1 1/4 miles, leaving the Vase, at 1 1/2 miles, as the most tempting race for foreigners on the HKIR program. This year is no exception.

Only four of the 14 runners in the Vase are locals. The rest come to Hong Kong after contesting such top-level international races as the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T), Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), Lexus Melbourne Cup (G1), Stella Artois Caulfield Cup (G1), Ladrokes Cox Plate (G1), Comer Group International Irish St. Leger (G1), and the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1) in Japan.

Many of those, however, are at the end of long campaigns, followed by arduous travel. For punters looking for a live longshot, Moore suggests a look at the aforementioned Jockey Club Cup winner, Eagle Way.

"I wish he was in the 2,000 (the Cup)," Moore said. "But the owners have another horse there. People who want a good bet, I'd suggest an each-way bet on him."