GLORIOUS DAYS BIDS TO MAINTAIN PERFECT RECORD IN CHINESE NEW YEAR CUP
by Hong Kong Jockey Club
John J. Size is hoping to celebrate the onset of the Year of the Dragon with victory for GLORIOUS DAYS (AUS) ::M353:: at Sha Tins Chinese New Year Raceday on 25 January.
The trainers exciting four-year-old is aiming to see off 13 rivals and stretch his unbeaten Hong Kong sequence to four in a fascinating renewal of the 1400 metres Chinese New Year Cup (Class 1 handicap) on Wednesdays enthralling 11-race card, in which the first race will start at 12:30 pm.
The Hussonet (USA) gelding who also won his only overseas start -- has notched three wins over the course and distance since making his HK debut in early November, most recently an impressive Class 2 triumph on 17 December.
Hes got a chance, said Size. He hasnt had a run for a little while but I expect him to continue to improve. Hes gone up almost 40 points in three starts, which is a big hike, but hes there to run a good race -- whether hes good enough remains to be seen. Its hard to project upwards at that rate.
Aashiq will bid to follow up having scored over the course and distance in the HKGr-3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup on 1 January. Paul OSullivans charge made all under bottom-weight on that occasion, holding Captain Sweet in second and the re-opposing Dennis Yip-trained Fat Choy Oohlala in third, but will shoulder 130 pounds for this test.
Another pair of interesting four-year-olds in the pack are the Richard G. Gibson-trained Helene Fun Star, a Listed winner in England making his Hong Kong debut, and Bullish Champion from the Tony Cruz stable. Cruz also has the in-form low-weight Open Sesame, seeking a third win in four starts.
Others of note are the Michael Chang-trained pair of Amigo and the lightly-raced Noble Alpha, while last years winning trainer John Moore saddles Kyara.
精彩日子 jīngcǎi rìzi (cantonese: keng choy yat chee) GLORIOUS DAYS (AUS) ::M353:: 4-y-o (30 Sep 2007) brown gelding by Hussonet (USA) ch.1991 (6.7f) x San Century (NZ) b.1996, by Centaine (AUS) br.1980 (7.0f)
RISING STARS PRIMED FOR MERCEDES-BENZ HONG KONG CLASSIC MILE ON CHINESE NEW YEAR RACEDAY
by Hong Kong Jockey Club
The 1st leg of the 2012 Four-Year-Old Series kicks off at Sha Tins popular Chinese New Year Raceday on Wednesday, 25 January, when 10 talented hopefuls line up for the days feature event, the HKGr-1 Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Classic Mile on turf.
Among the rising stars aiming for glory is the exciting Fay Fay, who is one of eight runners to also hold an entry in the HKGr-1 Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby. The four-year-old extended his unbeaten sequence this season to four when sweeping to an impressive Class 2 course and distance triumph on 1 January.
John J. Size has primed the Falkirk (NZ) gelding for five wins and three seconds from eight career starts and believes his charge is equipped for the leap into HKGr-1 company.
The horse is fine and if he holds together well be looking ahead to the Derby, said the trainer, who is seeking a first success in the Mercedes-Benz HK Classic Mile.
Fay Fay has been doing his best in his races and Im looking forward to Wednesdays race, in the sense that he has to improve to keep winning.
Admiration finished seventh behind last years Mercedes-Benz HK Classic Mile winner, Lucky Nine, in the Gr-1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint over 1200 metres in December. The John Moore trainee makes his third attempt at 1600 metres, a distance at which he is yet to win, having crossed the line two places behind stablemate Captain Sweet in the 1400 metres HKGr-3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup last time.
Captain Sweet posted a career best effort in the CCC Cup when second, conceding 13 pounds to the winner. He too holds a Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby entry, as do Moores other two candidates for the Mercedes-Benz HK Classic Mile, Zaidan and Smart Giant, who heads the standings after the latest Rising Star voting.
Captain Sweet is one of the most genuine horses in my yard, and, now that he takes the big step up to Gr-1 class, I dont have any doubts that hell be able to hold his own. His work, as usual, has been impressive in the lead up but there is always a little doubt as to whether hell get a strong run mile, revealed Moore, who has won the prize twice since it was upgraded to HKGr-1 status in 2000, with Tiber (2004) and Sunny Sing (2006).
The same can be said of Admiration, he continued. He found the sprint too short last time, even with blinkers, and he looks like hell be a 1400 metres/miler but theres that question mark over a strong mile.
Smart Giant is definitely Gr-1 class and dropping back to the mile is not a problem. Hes getting ready for the Derby and this race fits his programme in the lead up, but saying that, hell be the one of mine to beat.
Zaidan has become much more genuine since he was gelded. Hes another being aimed at the Derby and this race fits in nicely - the drop back to a mile may raise a doubt.
Anthony S. Da Cruz has a fine record in the Mercedes-Benz HK Classic Mile. Victorious as a trainer with Floral Pegasus (2007), Helene Mascot (2008) and Beauty Flash (2010), he aims for a fourth success with Packing Tycoon.
Longwah Supreme stretches out to 1600 metres for the first time and represents last years winning trainer Caspar Fownes, while David Ferraris relies on Sweet Orange, who will be ridden by Weichong Marwing.
The field includes another with good past European form, New Deerfield from the Derek S. Da Cruz stable, as well as Horaces Empire, trained by Sean Woods.
The remaining two legs of the Four-Year-Old Series are the HKGr-1 Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800 metres) on 19 February and the HKGr-1 Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby (2000 metres) on 18 March.
Wednesday, 25-January-2012 -- HK$6 million Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Classic Mile (HKG 4yo Set-Weights Gr-1) 1600 metres turf, right-handed
Sunday, 19-February-2012 -- HK$6 million Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Classic Cup (formerly MBHK Derby Trial) (HKG 4yo Set-Weights Gr-2) 1800 metres turf, right-handed
Sunday, 18-March-2012-- HK$16 million Mercedes-Benz 135th Hong Kong Derby (HKG 4yo Set-Weights Gr-1) 2000 metres turf, right handed .
. 2004 »» LUCKY OWNER (NZ) ::B454:: by Danehill (USA) -- 1st Mercedes-Benz sponsored 127th running HK$14 million Hong Kong Derby. 2005 »» VENGEANCE OF RAIN (NZ) ::D142:: ex: Subscribe, by Zabeel (NZ) -- 2nd Mercedes-Benz sponsored 128th running HK$14 million Hong Kong Derby. 2006 »» VIVA PATACA (GB) ::G096:: ex: Comic Stripe, by Marju (IRE) -- 3rd Mercedes-Benz sponsored 129th running HK$14 million Hong Kong Derby. 2007 »» VITAL KING (NZ) ::G222:: ex: Izzat, by Almutawakel (GB) -- 4th Mercedes-Benz sponsored 130th running HK$16 million Hong Kong Derby. 2008 »» HELENE MASCOT (IRE) ::J164:: ex: Salford Mill, by Peintre Celebre (USA) -- 5th Mercedes-Benz sponsored 131st running HK$16 million Hong Kong Derby. 2009 »» COLLECTION (IRE) ::K217:: by Peintre Celebre (USA) -- 6th Mercedes-Benz sponsored 132nd running HK$16 million Hong Kong Derby. 2010 »» SUPER SATIN (NZ) ::K116:: by Danehill Dancer (IRE) -- 7th Mercedes-Benz sponsored 133rd running HK$16 million Hong Kong Derby. 2011 »» AMBITIOUS DRAGON (NZ) ::K399:: by Pins (AUS) -- 8th Mercedes-Benz sponsored 134th running HK$16 million Hong Kong Derby. .
by Alan Aitken Racing-Post, South China Morning Post, Hong Kong.
On the track, the second half of the season is always the most appealing, even if the big international day is well behind us.
Regular high-grade racing, the promises made, kept or broken by the four-year-olds, the sprint series, the best of the season's domestic events belong to the back of the term and we've had two Group Ones in the past week.
Or should that be just one? The Classic Mile looked like a Group One, lined up like one but frankly wasn't very useful as a proper contest of the four-year-olds.
Peppermint's Class Three win in the race beforehand was on a par with the Group One, which was marred by a dreadfully slow tempo that took all the test out of the contest and left us with a con - the only participants that ran to their prior form were the outsiders Packing Tycoon and Horace's Empire, who were able to get closer to their betters by dint of the race being run in 97.6 seconds and reduced to only a 400m dash. And Packing Tycoon was the one who paid for that with a six-point rating penalty that may cost him a victory somewhere.
What the race meant to connections of Sweet Orange was unmistakable. What it meant for the Derby remains to be seen.
The Stewards' Cup, too, was not run at a dashing speed but it was respectable enough to take the result as read, as Ambitious Dragon put away 13 rivals, eight of them good enough to be among the official list of the world's 330-odd top horses of 2011.
It was tough to tell if the Horse of the Year was empty or idling in the final 100m, and since there was nothing to test him properly once he swallowed Xtension whole halfway up the straight, we won't find out.
He did enough to win comfortably and everyone gets paid, but we believe we still didn't see the absolute best of him. That seems reserved for a day when he can sit off a much stronger tempo, yet still produce the same blistering change of gears to go from eighth to first in a few strides.
Back in third, California Memory also produced his big turn of foot to rip lengths off the front runners and the Gold Cup promises a more competitive encounter, but the Year of the Dragon looms large. .
BROWN-LAMPED BERIO GETS THE MONEY AS DERBY ASPIRANTS HAVE MIXED DAY
by Michael Cox Racing-Post, South China Morning Post, Hong Kong
Trainer David Hall was as stunned as anyone when Berio was sensationally backed into favouritism in the last race, a Class Two Handicap where a trio of expensive imports began their campaigns towards the most prestigious race.
The Sha Tin tote board lit up as Berio was slammed from as much as $150 to jump $36.50, an avalanche of money crunching the seven-year-old's odds, a single bet of HK$4.5 million arriving seconds before the kick among the deluge of support.
"It's amazing to see that sort of money bet on a horse," Hall said. "You know it's not from the stable, you know it's not from the owner, but you just hope they're right and hope they've picked the right one.
"He is an old horse with arthritis and he could easily be pulling up sore tomorrow and not winning, so they were brave to put the money on."
Ben So Tik-hung did his part, surging forward with 116 pounds from his wide draw.
"He tries very hard and puts himself in good positions," Hall said. "But I don't think the horse has all of a sudden turned into a superstar overnight, he is what he is."
Berio hung on by a short head at the end of 1,600 metres to the fast-finishing and unlucky Finezza, but it was the horse's nominated for the Group One Mercedes-Benz Derby ( March 18 ) where attention was also focused.
John Moore had mixed results with his pair, the 89-rated Dan Excel producing a slashing trial running into third, and 95-rated Dominant eased out of the contest to finish 10th after overracing slightly.
Both were better than highest-rated of the trio though, the John Size-trained Cheers Joy (95), who was a disappointing 12th after box-seating in the run.
Dan Excel came into the race with a solitary 800 metres trial and was "fat", according to Moore. "That's the kind of run you like to see from them," he said, while Jeff Lloyd gave the colt top marks.
"To go straight to the mile wasn't ideal," he said. "He just bottomed out the last 150 metres, but he travelled nice and is a top horse."
Dominant looked good in the parade ring, but needed another hit-out before tackling the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Classic Cup (1,800 metres) in two weeks time.
"He just blew up half way up the straight and will be much better for it," Moore said. "We're just happy to get a run into both of them." .
LEARNING CURVE FOR GIBSON PAIR Tomorrow will teach trainer about prospects for his four-year-olds Beauty Lead and Helene Fun Star
by Alan Aitken Racing-Post, South China Morning Post, Hong Kong.
Freshman trainer Richard G. Gibson has made a fabulous fist of rehabilitating lesser lights, but tomorrow takes him into a different arena as he turns towards feature racing and two four-year-olds he has imported for their classic season.
Beauty Lead (Centenary Vase) and Helene Fun Star (Crocus Handicap) have made one appearance locally when not a great deal was expected, but with a run under the belt they should present a better guide to where they are going.
Beauty Lead, a Group Three winner and Group Two second in France at three, got a pass mark when seventh to Business As Usual over 1,600 metres first time out and Gibson admits he is on a learning curve going into the Group Three Centenary Vase at Sha Tin.
"On his best French form, he'd be the one to beat with the light weight. While he has improved for the first run, he is going to come on for this one, too," said Gibson.
With so many four-year-olds looking to get racing into their legs in preparation for the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby next month, Gibson is strangely enough the only trainer to have taken this particular path to the classic.
Jacobee was an unlucky third in the Centenary Vase last year before finishing a solid Derby fourth and Plastic Polymer (2007) was 11th in the Derby after winning the Vase.
However, the two four-year-olds to win the Vase when it was run at 2,000 metres - Vengeance Of Rain (2005) and Industrial Pioneer (2001) - also went on to win the Derby.
"I know it's a tough call taking on the older horses, but getting 20 pounds off Pure Champion is a lot of weight so I thought we could take our chance," Gibson said.
"That's why I chose to run in this at handicaps rather than the Classic Cup next week. Beauty Lead is a big-barrelled horse and carries plenty of condition and my gut feeling is he isn't ready to take on the best at level weights just yet.
"I look at him and think he needs the race, but I do remember thinking that when I saw him before a race in France and he came out and won it. We are still getting to know each other, but if Beauty Lead could win this I'd be very encouraged about the Derby."
Gibson is expecting a bold showing from Helene Fun Star, a winner of three 1,400 metres races from six runs in the UK, coming off his debut eighth in the Chinese New Year Cup: "Of the two horses, he's the one who I feel has improved significantly," he said.
»» HKJC OR (Hong Kong Jockey Club Official Rating): 95 »» BHA OR (British Horseracing Authority Official Rating): -- »» Best RPR (UK Racing-Post Rating): 114 »» Best TS (UK Racing-Post Top Speed): 105 »» UK TFE Betfair® Timeform (since 1948) Rating: -- »» WTRR (World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings) by IFHA (International Federation of Horseracing Authorities / Federation Internationale des Authorites Hippiques de Courses au Gallop): --
牽動美麗 qiāndòng měilì (cantonese: chien dong mei lai) BEAUTY LEAD (GB) ::N209:: late name: Glaswegian 4-y-o (19 Feb 2008) chestnut colt by Selkirk (USA) ch.1988 (9.0f) x Starfan (USA) b.1999, by Lear Fan (USA) b.1981 (10.3f)
Trainer: Richard G. Gibson (GB), Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, previously trained by Pascal Bary (FR), Chantilly, Oise, France.
Owner: Simon Kwok Siu-ming (HK), Hong Kong SAR, previously owned by Prince Khalid Bin Abdullah (KSA), England, France, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia & USA.
Breeder: Prince Khalid Bin Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms Ltd., Banstead Manor Stud, Cheveley, Newmarket Suffolk, England, United Kingdom.
Pausanias, who is owned by Sir Alex Ferguson along with his friend and casino owner Sotirios Hassiakos, gave Richard Hannon his fifth victory in the Bet At bluesq.com European Free Handicap. The Listed race is not the most noted of this week's Classic trials but Pausanias did quite well last term and is expected to
progress considerably by Hannon. Weak in the betting at 100-30, he quickened nicely for Richard Hughes for a ready length victory over the front-running Rerouted.
Ferguson was en-route to Germany to watch Manchester United's likely Champions League semi-final rivals Schalke, but Hannon said: "I was worried the ground might be too fast for him and that he'd cope with seven furlongs as he really wants a mile. "He'll come on a lot for that. I'm not sure what he'll do, but he's in the German Guineas and that could be a race he ends up in."
»» HKJC OR (Hong Kong Jockey Club Official Rating): 91 »» BHA OR (British Horseracing Authority Official Rating): 110 (Turf) »» 84 (Polytrack Synthetic) »» Best RPR (UK Racing-Post Rating): 109 (Turf) »» 99 (Polytrack Synthetic) »» Best TS (UK Racing-Post Top Speed): 97 (Turf) »» 81 (Polytrack Synthetic) »» UK TFE Betfair® Timeform (since 1948) Rating: -- »» WTRR (World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings) by IFHA (International Federation of Horseracing Authorities / Federation Internationale des Authorites Hippiques de Courses au Gallop): --
喜蓮芳芬 xǐ lián fāng fēn (cantonese: hey ling fung fan) HELENE FUN STAR (GB) ::N105:: late name: Pausanias 4-y-o (5 Mar 2008) bay gelding by Kyllachy (GB) b.1998 (6.5f) x The Strand (GB) ch.1997, by Gone West (USA) b.1984 (8.3f)
Trainer: Richard G. Gibson GB), Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, previously trained by Richard Hannon (GB), Herridge Racing Stables, Herridge, Collingbourne Ducis, Marlborough, Wiltshire East Everleigh, England, United Kingdom.
Owner: Wilson Woo Ka-wah (HK), Dawson Woo Ka-chung (HK), Jackson Woo Ka-biu (HK) and Carmen Woo Ka-man (HK), Hong Kong SAR, previously owned by Sir Alex Ferguson (GB) and Sotirios Hassiakos (GB), London, England, United Kingdom.
Breeder: Granham Farm and P. Hearson Bloodstock, England, United Kingdom. Winnings: 7 Starts, 3 - 2 - 0, £54,533.00 + HK$00.00 (Updated: 25 Jan 2012)
HKJC (Hong Kong Jockey Club) Branding: N105 HKJC (Hong Kong Jockey Club) Rating: 91
(29,000 Guineas Yearling, 24,000 Guineas Foal) 5th foal, half-brother Quiddity, placed at 5-7f at 2; dam unraced, sister to smart prolific US sprint winner Gold Land, to 5 other winners & to dam of useful sprinter Resplendent Cee, family of top miler Soviet Line.
Inbreeding: Northern Dancer (CAN): 5S x 4D * Tudor Minstrel (GB): 5S x 5D
Dosage Profile: 5-1-6-0-0 (12) Dosage Index: 3.00 Center of Distribution: + 0.92 .
BULLISH CHAMPION'S NEXT TARGET IS THE DERBY, SAYS CRUZ
by Michael Cox Racing-Post, South China Morning Post, Hong Kong.
Anthony S. Da Cruz had his doubts BULLISH CHAMPION (IRE) ::M198:: ex: Crown Prosecutor, 4yo (5 Apr 2008) b. c, by Exceed And Excel (AUS) would get further than 1,200 metres earlier in the season, but the impressive type could now head to the Group One Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby next start off a five-week break, on the strength of an all- the-way win in a Class One over 1,400 metres.
Cruz, who combined for a double with Matthew Chadwick, still wonders whether BULLISH CHAMPION (IRE) ::M198:: will get a trip, but insistent owners, excited by the four-year-old's progress, have their hearts set on the most prestigious race on March 18.
"He's next start will probably be the Derby," Cruz said. "Obviously I think the 2,000 metres is a bit too long, but the owner is so keen to run in the Derby, so why the hell not?"
The colt now has a record of two wins from seven starts, and a rating which will take a hefty jump from the 100 he took into yesterday's event.
BULLISH CHAMPION (IRE) ::M198:: who Cruz described as having a "bad attitude" when he arrived from Europe, showed his growing maturity for Chadwick when he was asked to cross from barrier 13 and lead.
From there Chadwick rated the horse perfectly and cruised to a 1-1/2-length victory.
"He was on auto pilot today," said Chadwick, who added the horse was adaptable enough to be ridden off the speed effectively.
"He is a nice horse and he really switched off after he got to the front, but he does like to be handy."
Cruz said [BULLISH CHAMPION (IRE) ::M198:: improved attitude showed as did his growing physical stature.
"When I was putting the saddle on him, he just felt dynamite," Cruz said. "He is improving. He had a bad attitude but he is now racing a bit more relaxed."
Yesterday's meeting was the 43rd of 83 for the season, and [BULLISH CHAMPION (IRE) ::M198:: win gave Cruz 31 wins to take him within eight of leader John J. Size, who was winless.
Size's stable full of progressive youngsters with more wins in store will make him hard to catch in the second half of the season, but Cruz has got a potential-laden three-year-old of his own in HAPPY INDEX (AUS) ::N162:: ex: Beauty Look, 3yo (13 Oct 2008) b. g, by
Elusive Quality (USA), who scooted away to make it back-to-back Class Fours on the dirt.
"He is a young horse who is improving all the time," Cruz said of the son of Elusive Quality (USA).
"He has got natural speed and he likes the dirt, but the next step will be on the grass in Class Three, and I think he'll handle the turf well. The most he'll get is 1,400 metres."
Chadwick who moved to 24 wins and fourth in the jockeys' championship, said HAPPY INDEX (AUS) ::N162:: had wanted to stop when clear on his way to the 1-1/4-length victory.
"He has got improvement in him, the last 50 metres he was waiting for them to catch him, he was a bit lost," he said.
"He is going to improve on that, strength-wise he'll get better and he is still very green."
http://images.racingpost.com/2010/Sep/20236-crown-prosecutor-approve.jpg 15/2 Crown Prosecutor, now renamed Bullish Champion (left) just fails to defeat 8/1 Approve (right) by 3/4L on 18-Aug-2011 at York in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes (ENG 2yo Colts & Geldings Cl-1 Gr-2) 6 furlongs turf, straight-course (good) 1:11.67 (slow by 1.17 secs of course record) Picture by: Martin Lynch
http://images.racingpost.com/2010/Sep/20265.jpg 4/1 Temple Meads scores a comfortable victory at Newbury by 1-3/4L in the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes (ENG 2yo Open Gr-2) 6 furlongs 8 yards turf, straight-course (good to firm) 1:11.73 (slow by 0.53 secs of course record) 3/1 Crown Prosecutor, now renamed Bullish Champion (donning green silk) was 3rd, about 2-1/4L away. Picture by: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)
»» HKJC OR (Hong Kong Jockey Club Official Rating): (100) to be updated »» BHA OR (British Horseracing Authority Official Rating): 108 »» Best RPR (UK Racing-Post Rating): 107 »» Best TS (UK Racing-Post Top Speed): 101 »» UK TFE Betfair® Timeform (since 1948) Rating: -- »» WTRR (World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings) by IFHA (International Federation of Horseracing Authorities / Federation Internationale des Authorites Hippiques de Courses au Gallop): --
牛精大師 Niú jīng dàshī (cantonese: ngau cheng dai si) BULLISH CHAMPION (IRE) ::M198:: late name: Crown Prosecutor 3-y-o (5 Apr 2008) bay colt by Exceed And Excel (AUS) b.2000 (6.5f) x Miss Brief (IRE) b.1998, by Brief Truce (USA) b.1989 (8.6f)
Trainer: Anthony S. Da Cruz (HK, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, previously trained by Brian J. Meehan (GB), Manton House Estate, Marlborough, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom.
Owner: Yeung Yuk-ying (HK), Hong Kong SAR, previously owned by the Sangster Families, London, England, United Kingdom
Breeder: Edmond And Richard Kent, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom. Winnings: 12 Starts, 4 - 2 - 1, £53,547.00 + HK$2,790,000.00 (Updated: 11 Feb 2012)
HKJC (Hong Kong Jockey Club) Branding: M198 HKJC (Hong Kong Jockey Club) Rating: (100) to be updated
http://www.hkjc.com/images/RaceResult/20120125R10_L.jpg Nearly upset GLORIOUS DAYS (AUS) ::M353:: in the HK$1.8 million Chinese New Year Cup Handicap (1,400 metres turf, RH) on Dragon-Year Chinese New Year Day, 25-January-2012 at Shatin, Race 10 (351)
(£17,000 Yearling, Foal 17,500 not sold) 4th foal, half-brother to 2m hurdle winner Double Paddy; dam placed over 5f at 2, half-sister to Cheveley Park Stakes 2nd Dhanyata and useful sprinter Guinea Hunter.
Inbreeding: Northern Dancer (CAN): 4S x 4S x 4D x 5D Nearctic (CAN): 5S x 5S x 5D Natalma (USA): 5S x 5S x 5S x 5D
Dosage Profile: 3-3-8-0-0 (14) Dosage Index: 2.50 Center of Distribution: + 0.64 .
by Alan Aitken Racing-Post, South China Morning Post, Hong Kong.
While on John Moore, the trainer did seek to import a jockey for this weekend's HK$8 million Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup when Darren Beadman was injured last week, and has been told it isn't allowed under the Jockey Club's policy.
The policy, which requires a couple of readings in its current form, was reworked in 2005 after it had previously been permitted for an owner to bring in any rider he wished for a Group One race.
The "new" policy allows you to bring whoever you like, for the six international races plus the Derby. The second clause allows the bringing of whoever you like to ride a horse in its lead-up to one of those first clause races, provided there is an undertaking the same jockey will be on board in the main target.
Thus, Weichong Marwing has ridden SWEET ORANGE (USA) ::M289:: ex: Warning Flag, 4yo (4 Mar 2008) b. c, by War Front (USA) on that basis and club officials were already putting on their "not happy" faces when it was rumoured - later denied - on Monday connections wanted to change the pilot after Sunday's defeat.
And the third clause is Group One mounts are available to foreign-based riders if they have ridden here for at least a month during the season, or have participated in any of the last three International Jockeys' Championships at Happy Valley.
From Moore's point of view, in a stable where owners are spending plenty of money on Group One-standard horses, the old open-slather concept was the simplest and also most reasonable approach, but the club has sought to protect the interests of the club and freelance jockey roster at any given time.
