Search

show me:

news preview

LONGINES HKIR Track Notes – Tuesday, 3rd December 2024

LONGINES Hong Kong Cup.

Liberty Island winning the James Boag's Premium Mdn Hcp
Liberty Island winning the James Boag's Premium Mdn Hcp Picture: Racing and Sports

Calif – FR

Calif  was the first of the internationals to venture out onto the all-weather training on Tuesday and cantered under his regular work rider. 

Joint-trainer Yann Lerner said: "I am very happy with the horse, who I haven't seen since he ran in Bahrain. The boys have done a great job with him and he looks well physically and seems to have come out of his race well, something I'm delighted to see. 

"He hasn't run too many times this season and he seems to have retained some freshness as we get to the end of the season, something I feel is very important. We'll see on Sunday but he looks great in his coat and above all, he takes the travel so well. 

"He will have a leg-stretch on the turf on Wednesday morning; he won't work any harder than today but it's a chance for him to get used to the track."

Liberty Island – JPN

Work rider Yuya Katayama said: "Today I did flat work a bit longer before she worked on the all-weather for 1.1/2 laps before she was walking in the paddock to get familiarised with it."

"Her moves are getting lighter and lighter day by day and I think she is in good shape and has been preparing well for tomorrow's solid work and the race day."

"The paddock will be full of people and we have to walk close to people, so considering those situations I intentionally walked her close to the photographers and media people, but she was calm without any problem."

Spirit Dancer – GB

SPIRIT DANCER (C, red cap) winning the Strensall Stakes at York in England.
SPIRIT DANCER (C, red cap) winning the Strensall Stakes at York in England. Picture: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

Built up to a strong canter for a lap of the all-weather track.

Rider Oisin Orr said: "He felt good."

Tastiera – JPN

Tastiera.
Tastiera. Picture: Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association

Canter for two laps on the all weather track.

"He is relaxed after his workout but is still adjusting to the new environment. His condition is good," said Tomohiro Takahashi, stable representative.

LONGINES Hong Kong Mile

Antino – AUS

Cantered on one lap on the big all-weather track.

Trainer Tony Gollan: "I am very happy with him. He will do some work on the turf track in the morning."

Docklands – GB

Cantered strongly on the turf course, clocking 30.3s, 30.4s and 28.0s (1.28.7) for 1200m.

Stable representative Laura Pike said: "We went to Melbourne at the end of September, so we've been away quite a long time. He picked up prize-money and he beat the track record despite finishing fifth in the Cox Plate. We arrived in Hong Kong 10 days ago, so we've had a bit longer than everyone else and we're just keeping him ticking over. He had a nice routine canter on the grass today. He's so fit, so we're just trying to freshen him up and keep him happy. He seems in great form. I was really happy with that today. He's going to do another bit on the grass on Thursday, when he'll have a blow before his race on Sunday. He loves his work. He's very bonny. He loves the cameras."

Galaxy Patch – HKG

 Canter for one lap on the inner all-weather track.

"He trialled well last week. Vincent (Ho) was very happy with him. I'm very happy with how he's pulled up and he looks well today (Tuesday, 3 December). He'll have another gallop on Thursday (5 December) – his main gallop – and then he'll be ready to race," trainer Pierre Ng said.

Jantar Mantar – JPN

 Jantar Mantar had an easy piece of canter for 1 1/2 laps on the all-weather track.

Stable representative Takashi Matsui said, "I am relieved that he was calm and walked nicely in the parade ring for schooling.  Jockey Yuga Kawada will gallop him on turf tomorrow."

Lazzat – FR

 After a quiet day in quarantine on Monday Lazzat returned to the all-weather, doing an easy canter under former Group 1 rider Franck Blondel.

Trainer Jerome Reynier said: "He's in good shape and he is behaving well. He had a good breeze on Saturday so he's just having light exercise during the week to keep him ticking over. He'll stay on the all-weather for the rest of the week, the work is done.

"The good thing about his programme is that he got to stay in Australia for a couple of weeks after his race and then travelled up a couple of weeks before his run on Saturday. He's had plenty of recovery time since the Golden Eagle and now to prepare for the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile."

 Ramadan – GB

Ramadan cantered on the all-weather track for a lap.

Work rider Ben Morris said: "We haven't had him very long but it has been a pleasure to have him. He's an absolute gentleman nearly all the time and he travelled over here very well, he's enjoying the sunshine. It was his first time on the track and he just had a nice steady canter."

Soul Rush – JPN

 Soul Rush warmed up in the trotting ring and jogged on the all-weather a bit longer before cantered for two laps.

The work rider Yuki Iwasaki said: "He was fresh, very flexible and felt really good."

Taj Dragon – HKG

 Canter for one lap on the inner all-weather track.

"Taj Dragon trialled brilliantly last week – we were quite surprised with how he finished off. Hopefully he can put in a big run and get some prizemoney for us," trainer Pierre Ng said.

LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint

Ka Ying Rising – HKG

 Galloped on all-weather track clocking 22.6s for 400m.

"He was good this morning. I'm very happy and more importantly Zac (Purton) was very happy. We just let him stretch his legs for 400 metres and he showed me he's ready to go," trainer David Hayes said.

Lugal – JPN

 Lugal warmed up in the trotting ring at quarantine stable before he worked on the all-weather track.

Trainer Haruki Sugiyama said: "As he worked on the turf track yesterday, he had an easy canter to stretch out his legs for a lap on the all-weather. Everything has gone well so far.  I saw him for the first time since he arrived here, and he seems to be the same as how he was at home. He will be tuned up after he gallops on Thursday. The surface of all-weather is much better than in April, which was very hard.  Turf condition also looks very good.  I look forward to Sunday."

Satono Reve – JPN

 Canter for two laps on the all weather track.

"Mentally, there are no issues. His condition is better than yesterday and is returning to normal," said Ryusuke Saito, stable representative.

Starlust – GB

 Cantered steadily over a lap of the all-weather track.

Emma Wilkinson, work rider and representative for trainer Ralph Beckett, said: "We went out in the quarantine centre yesterday but this was his first canter since getting here. We were just steady away. We might have a spin on the grass one day this week but otherwise we'll just take it pretty steady."

Toshin Macau – JPN

 Toshin Macau worked on the all-weather track before schooled in the parade ring.

Stable representative, Takashi Komine said, "As scheduled, he worked on the all-weather this morning. In the trotting ring, he seemed to be relaxed unlike yesterday, but he was very nervous when working on the main track for the first time. However, once he started cantering, he launched the bid and ran well. Tomorrow, we plan to do the same kind of training as today"

LONGINES Hong Kong Vase

Iresine – FR

Iresine jogged one circuit of the all-weather behind his lead horse and then walked to the 600m mark before cantering solo the final half lap under trainer Jean-Pierre Gauvin.

Gauvin said: "He'll stay on the all-weather for the whole week I think, and we'll start his canter at the same point in the back straight, though progressively we'll go a bit faster up to and including Thursday. 

Marquisat – FR

 Marquisat seemed much happier in his new surroundings on Tuesday, jogging one lap of the all-weather before cantering a second, his final 400m completed in 30.7 seconds.

Pradaria – JPN

Cantered one and a half laps on the all weather track and parade ring schooled.

"He was very relaxed during his workout this morning. He is eating well, has schooled in the parade ring, and will gallop on turf tomorrow morning," said trainer Manabu Ikezoe.

Without A Fight – AUS

Exercised on turf, clocking 31.0s 27.4s and 24.2s (1.22.6) for 1200m.


Hong Kong Jockey Club