Flintshire Shines in Hong Kong Vase Victory

Flintshire, a bridesmaid in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) and the Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT), finally got to the altar in the Longines Hong Kong Vase (HK-I) Dec. 14 over the good to firm turf course at Sha Tin Racecourse.



The Vase was one of four international group I races, all sponsored by Longines, run at the track in Hong Kong's New Territories before 74,070 fans in perfect weather.



With Maxime Guyon aboard, Juddmonte Farms' 4-year-old Dansili colt emerged from behind a dawdling pace to hit the lead at midstretch in the 2,400-meter (about 1 1/2-mile) test, and held off local hope Willie Cazals by half a length 2:29.83 on good to firm turf.

Khayla, who set the pace, and last year's winner, Dominant, completed a second-through-fourth sweep for the home team.

 

Among the other raiders, Red Cadeaux, who did not benefit from the slow early fractions, finished sixth. Snow Sky, owned, like Flintshire, by Prince Khalid Abdullah, lacked a kick in the lane and finished seventh. And German's Empoli reared at the break and raced last in the 11-horse field.

 

The 2,400-meter journey is an unusual distance for Hong Kong racing and Dominant's win last year broke a long string of dominance by visitors.



"The pace was a little slow but I know my horse," Guyon said of Flintshire, who was heavily favored as he denied the late charge of Willie Cazals.

"Great run but the winner was too good," said Douglas Whyte, jockey aboard Willie Cazals. "We were there to snap him up but Flintshire fought back and was just too strong."

Trained by Andre Fabre, Flintshire finished second to Treve in the Arc and then second behind Main Sequence in the Breeders' Cup. Sunday's victory, in fact, was his first since the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-I) for 3-year-olds in July 2013.

 

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for Abdullah, said the win was "really important and very, very thrilling," especially considering the slow pace.

"I was yelling from the grandstand, 'Would you go on'," he said. "But he has a good turn of foot, this horse."

Grimthorpe said Flintshire will stay in training for his 5-year-old season, "probably another international campaign."

 

A homebred out of the Sadler's Wells mare Dance Routine, Flintshire collected the winner's share, HK$10.5 million, of a HK$16.5 million purse, or about US$1.6 million of US$2.12 million.

Longines Hong Kong Sprint

 

After two years of dominance by the now-retired Japanese star Lord Kanaloa, Aerovelocity returned the Longines Hong Kong Sprint (HK-I) title to the local team, which for many years dominated this race.

 

Breaking alertly, Aerovelocity beat Australian sprinter Buffering to the lead and to the rail and never relinquished either. Peniaphobia, winner of the local prep for this event, came with a rush late but finished a neck short of the winner. Straight Girl, one of several Japanese contestants, finished third at long odds and Gordon Lord Byron was fourth for Ireland.

Aerovelocity, with Zac Purton in the irons, ran 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) in 1:08.57, slightly quicker than standard on the Sha Tin turf course.

 

"About the furlong marker, he wanted to hang back and on the fence," Purton said. "I had to keep after him."

Purton said the dash to the lead was not exactly planned, "but when the opportunity is there, you have to take it."

 

Aerovelocity was last of 14 in the local prep for this event. However, he was twice badly impeded in the stretch run of that race, losing all chance. Moving up from the local handicap ranks, the 6-year-old New Zealand-bred Pins gelding now has seven wins from his last nine starts.

 

"If he continues in this strain of form," said winning trainer Paul O'Sullivan, "there is a possibility he could run elsewhere." He mentioned Singapore as a possible target. Raced previously in New Zealand under the name Naisoso Warrior, Aerovelocity is owned by Daniel Yeung Ngai.

 

The Sprint was worth HK$18.5 million, or about US$2.4 million.

Longines Hong Kong Mile

 

Able Friend shot by pacesetting Gold-Fun in the final 100 meters of the Longines Hong Kong Mile (HK-I) and won by 4 1/4 lengths over that rival with jockey Joao Moreira celebrating well before the wire.

 

With two Hong Kong stars in the top spots, Japan's Grand Prix Boss and World Ace salvaged the minor awards for the foreign contingent. Trade Storm, third in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) in his last start, raced well back and finished seventh. Longtime local favorite Ambitious Dragon was withdrawn hours before the race with lameness.

 

Moreira rode the heavy favorite with utmost confidence. The 5-year-old Australian-bred Shamardal gelding ran well back in the pack early in the Mile as Gold-Fun set a lively pace.

At the top of the lane, it appeared Able Friend might have traffic issues. But once he saw daylight, he quickly shot to the front and won for fun, finishing in 1:33.49 without much late encouragement. Gold-Fun settled for place money for the second straight year.

 

"I wasn't worried," Moreira said. "I knew what I was doing and I have a lot of faith in the horse. I knew I was always going to get a run. He's such a big horse and he can always push someone out."

 

Able Friend came into Sunday's race off an almost equally dominating win in the local prep race. He had been consistently first or second throughout the season in top races and finished second only to South African superstar Variety Club in the Champions Mile (HK-I) in May.

 

"I think I've got one of the best milers on the planet," said winning trainer John Moore, who added Able Friend will point to the Stewards' Cup (HK-I) in January.

"Then I'll do my best to convince the owners on the (Dubai) Duty Free (UAE-I). But that might be a long lunch and a lot of alcohol," he laughed. Able Friend is owned by Dr. and Mrs. Cornel Li Fook Kwan.

 

Touted by the Hong Kong Jockey Club as the world's richest turf mile after recent purse increases, this year's Mile was worth HK$23 million, or just shy of US$3 million.

Longines Hong Kong Cup

 

Designs On Rome, the heavy favorite, edged Military Attack by a short head to take the Longines Hong Kong Cup (HK-I) in a dramatic finish. BMW Australian Derby (Aus-I) winner Criterion finished third and the French veteran Cirrus des Aigles was narrowly back in fourth.

 

Both Designs On Rome and Military Attack raced near the back of the field into the stretch. Military Attack got going first and had a head in front 50 meters from the wire, with Designs On Rome relentlessly closing on his outside before hitting the front at the right moment.

 

Designs On Rome, with Joao Moreira scoring his second straight group I win, got 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) in 2:01.96. Trainer Moore, also winning two in a row, said the owner, Cheng Keung Fai, "is keen" to take the horse to the Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-I) in the spring.

 

The 4-year-old Holy Roman Emperor gelding won three of four major races at Sha Tin last year and earlier in 2014 but had trouble in his first two starts of the fall season, finishing fifth in his last start. Moreira, who rode in the past two losses, said he used those experiences "from which we could put it all together."

 

Jockey and trainer agreed Designs On Rome needs encouragement at the right time to get him into the race. "You've got to get going with him early or else he's not going to catch up with the good horses in front of him," Moreira said.

 

Military Attack had been in better form and led briefly in deep stretch before barely yielding to his rival.

Cirrus des Aigles was making his fifth start in the Hong Kong International Races despite an episode of lameness just before race day. While he ran well, he was unable to improve on his previous best performance, a third-place finish in last year's Cup.

 

The Cup was worth HK$25 million, or approximately US$3.2 million.