You are listening to an article from Canadian Thoroughbred.com. Group 1 Hong Kong races attract world By: Twinspires.com | .
The Hong Kong International Racing Festival on December 8th (Hong Kong) presents four Group 1 events featuring many of the best horses in the world. The LONGINES Hong Kong International Races brings together top horses from around the world to compete in four prestigious G1 races for a total prize pool of HK$126 million.
The races can be used for betting and watching HPIBET.com with the first race on December 7th at 11:25 p.m.
A North American runner who was expected to compete, last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner NOBALS, has a fever and could be scratched from the sprint. Nobals was at Woodbine preparing for his trip to Hong Kong when he won the Kennedy Road Stakes (G2).
LONGINES Hong Kong Vase – 2:10 p.m. (approx. 1:05 a.m. Eastern Time)
LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint – 2:50 p.m
LONGINES Hong Kong Mile – 4:00 p.m
LONGINES Hong Kong Cup – 4:40 p.m
Here's a preview of the four Group 1 events from Twinspires.com:
Hong Kong Vase (G1)
Given the Europeans' overall track record in the Vase, it's no surprise that a six-man raiding party is assembling for the roughly 1 1/2-mile competition.
Aidan O'Brien sends out the four-time Group 1 winners Luxembourgmost recently sixth in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), and last year's hero by St. Leger (G1), Continuous, who always had excuses in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) and the Champion (G1). in his last pair. The ever-dangerous French tricolor will be flown by versatile Group 1 veteran Iresine and the up-and-coming Marquisat of Andre Fabre, while British players Giavellotto and Dubai Honor also play significant roles.
Yet Japan have struck out more often than any other European country in the last decade, a trend that Classic winner Stellenbosch and multiple Group 2 goalscorer Pradaria will look to reinforce.
The candidate with the highest rating on paper comes from Australia Without a fightwho won the Caulfield/Melbourne Cup (G1) double in 2023. The European export was sidelined for a year before resuming with an encouraging third place in the Mackinnon (aka Champions) (G1) at Flemington.
From the locals, Five G Patch and La City Blanche deserve mention as second and third respectively to Rebel's Romance in the Champions & Chater Cup (G1) on May 26th at this distance. Ka Ying Generation, the best of the rest behind Romantic Warrior in the approximately 1 1/4 mile Jockey Club Cup (G2), stretches out again.
Hong Kong Sprint (G1)
Ka Ying Rising, last season's champion Griffin, has continued his meteoric rise during the recent Hong Kong season that began in September. The David Hayes student extended his winning streak to seven with a record-breaking performance in the final race of the Jockey Club Sprint (G2). Despite being untested at this level, Ka Ying Rising has already emerged as the Group 1 winner in embryo.
California Spangle, who famously denied the Golden Sixty at the 2022 Hong Kong Mile, has since found his niche as his sprinter. But he hasn't won since the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) on the evening of the World Championships in Dubai. Victor the Winner and Invincible Sage also won Group 1 at Sha Tin earlier this year but were no match for Ka Ying Rising. Howdeepisyourlove and Helios Express, second and third respectively in the Jockey Club Sprint, also need to improve to close the gap.
The last two Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winners, recent surprise winner Starlust and Larry Rivelli's 2023 alum Nobals, offer an international, along with multiple Australian Group 3 scorers Recommendation and Japan's Lugal, Toshin Macau and Satono Reve Challenge. Lugal and Toshin Macau just scored a one-two in the Sprinters (G1) in Nakayama, where favorite Satono Reve finished seventh.
Hong Kong mile (G1)
Voyage Bubble, runner-up here in the Golden Sixty a year ago, recently won the most significant preparation, the Jockey Club Mile (G2). But those who are beaten in the course and distance races often advance in the main race. Re-entering rivals eligible include Galaxy Patch, who claimed two wins in the Sha Tin Trophy (G2) on October 13, and Beauty Eternal, winner of the Champions Mile on April 28 (G1). Others to suffer losses in the Jockey Club Mile include Red Lion, Chancheng Glory, Joyful Together, Beauty Joy and Taj Dragon.
Japanese rider Soul Rush, who finished fourth in this race last year, is at the top of his game after a Group 1 breakthrough in the Mile Championship (G1). His compatriot Jantar Mantar has not raced since winning the NHK Mile Cup (G1) on May 5 against his three-year-old compatriots.
French expat Ramadan sold for the top price of more than $1.6 million at Arqana's Arc Sale just hours after winning the Prix Daniel Wildenstein (G2). The other French second-year student, Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1) hero Lazzat, suffered his first career defeat when he finished second in the lucrative Golden Eagle at Rosehill in Sydney.
Antino and the UK-based Docklands also bring an Australian format. Antino, appearing in the Toorak H. (G1) at Caulfield on October 12, narrowly missed the venerable Mr Brightside by half a length in the Cantala (aka Champions Mile) (G1) at Flemington. Docklands was unplaced in both the Cox Plate (G1) and Mackinnon. Returning to the metric mile could be helpful as his peak performance was a second ahead of Charyn in Royal Ascot's Queen Anne (G1).
Hong Kong Cup (G1)
Romantic Warrior claimed another victory here last year, despite a heartbreaking decision in the Australian Cox Plate on his previous start. This time he goes into his three-peat race in more customary fashion with a dominant result in the Jockey Club Cup.
Romantic Warrior completed the same course and distance preparation in 2022 before winning the Hong Kong Cup by 4 1/2 lengths, and chances are he will be in that form again. The Danny Shum trainee has compiled a historic resume, with his current winning streak also including title defenses in the Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1) and QEII Cup (G1) as well as a coup in Tokyo in the Yasuda Kinen (G1).
Japan is sending two of its 2023 Classics stars, Fillies' Triple Crown champion Liberty Island and Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1) winner Tastiera. Both lost to the next Japan Cup hero Do Deuce in the Tenno Sho Autumn (G1). Tastiera ran in form second, but Liberty Island bowed out in 13th place with circumscribed fitness.
The UK-based Spirit Dancer flies in from Bahrain, where he was taking part in the International Trophy (G2) for the second year in a row. German Group 1 winner Calif, third behind Spirit Dancer, traveled over with him. The other British hope, the Foxes, ended a losing streak with a top victory in the Churchill S. against Newcastle's Tapeta.
O'Brien relies on two sophomore fillies last seen in the Breeders' Cup – Content, the Yorkshire Oaks (G1) winner, who finished sixth in the Filly & Mare Turf (G1), and Wingspan, fifth against Male dogs in the turf.
Her former stablemate Broadhurst, the gelding now known as Massive Sovereign, has not won since the Hong Kong Derby for four-year-olds on March 24. Other notable locals include Straight Arron, fourth in the 2023 Cup, and Nimble Nimbus, third behind Romantic Warrior in the final prep.
