December, 2020 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Hong Kong Cup: Japan’s Win Bright Eyes History With One Last Run For Glory

Japan's Win Bright will aim to become the second horse in history to snare back-to-back G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup victories this Sunday at Sha Tin – and he'll do so looking to uphold an unblemished record over 2000m (1 1/4 miles) at the big track.

California Memory did it in 2011 and 2012, and this weekend the dazzling grey will look to shine for a second time in the feature before impending retirement.

“I hope so – this is his main target this year and also his final race of his career – I just want to win this race,” regular jockey Masami Matsuoka said.

The son of Stay Gold is two for two over 2000m at Sha Tin, he nailed a record-setting win over a pair of prolific G1 winners and Horse of the Year – Exultant and Lys Gracieux in the 2019 FWD QEII Cup, before staving off an unlucky Magic Wand in this race last year.

His 2000m course record at Sha Tin still stands at 1:58.81, and Matsuoka, who partnered him to both of his headline making exploits in Hong Kong, will take the reins again for Sunday's test.

“There is no problem with him (Win Bright), he's feeling himself,” Matsuoka said.

The grey's most recent two runs at Nakayama and Tokyo haven't exactly caught the eye, although, his two runs prior to last year's Hong Kong Cup win revealed similar performances.

He finished seventh two starts ago in the G2 Nakayama Kinen (1800m) on March 1, before grabbing a less than competitive 10th in the Tenno Sho Autumn (2000m) on Nov. 1.

“Sha Tin Racecourse and the climate in Hong Kong is very suitable for him, it's a similar season, a cold season in December so it is easy to train him in Japan as well,” Matsuoka said.

Matsuoka has had a lengthy relationship with the classy grey, since his first race as a two-year-old over 1800m in a newcomer's race at Tokyo in June, 2016.

“I have been on his back since he was a two-year-old until now and he continued his career and the main reason I continued my career as a jockey is because of Win Bright – it is a precious and memorable memory of my life,” Matsuoka said.

Matsuoka was sidelined for eight months in February, 2020 with a bone fracture in a race fall. He has 830 wins to his name across a 17-year career in the saddle.

Win Bright's triumph in this race last year saw him join Jim And Tonic (1999), Vengeance Of Rain (2005) and Designs On Rome (2014) as only the fourth horse to have the QEII Cup and Hong Kong Cup in the same year.

The grey faces seven others including Skalleti, Danon Premium, Furore, Time Warp, Dances With Dragon, Normcore and Magical, who is looking to become Aidan O'Brien's most prolific G1 winner with eight top-level successes.

The Japanese have had a long and successful history in Sunday's feature with six wins in Hong Kong's biggest race: Fujiyama Kenzan (1995), Midnight Bet (1998), Agnes Digital (2001), A Shin Hikari (2015), Maurice (2016) and Win Bright (2019).

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Hong Kong Mile: On 10-Race Win Streak, Trainer Lui Feeling Quietly ‘Confident’ In Golden Sixty

Wary and respectful of world-class opposition, trainer Francis Lui carries a characteristically understated sense of confidence into the Grade 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile with Golden Sixty at Sha Tin on Sunday, hopeful his flagbearer can continue an extraordinary winning streak.

Only the fourth horse to win 10 consecutive races in Hong Kong's professional era – a feat achieved by Silent Witness, Co-Tack and Sunday's adversary Beauty Generation – Golden Sixty faces his biggest challenge at the weekend against a line-up packed with quality.

Lui, bidding for his first LONGINES Hong Kong International Races triumph, believes Golden Sixty is ideally placed to continue his streak against last year's winner Admire Mars and Aidan O'Brien's Order Of Australia.

“I'm confident on the horse but the overseas horses – their form is good. The Japanese horse (Admire Mars) won it last year. The Irish horse (Order Of Australia) won the Breeders' Cup, he has strong form,” he said.

“To me and my stable team, it's another record if he can win.

“I'm very happy with his trackwork because he was quite relaxed. He's more relaxed with another horse. If he goes by himself, he's keen in the early part but today he followed the other horse.

“Everything is ready.”

Lui confirmed he would not burden jockey Vincent Ho with instructions.

“I'll leave it to him because, from first day he has ridden this horse and he knows him, and I don't want to give him pressure,” he said.

“Anything can happen in a race and, if he listens to me, it's another story. So, I will leave it to him.”

While concentrating on nothing other than Sunday, Lui indicated the BMW Hong Kong Derby winner could return to 2000-metre contests.

“Next month, he might have another mile but after that I think about the step up to 2000 metres,” Lui said.

Opening the options for a G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) tilt on Feb. 21, 2021 should Lui opt to head there.

“Last season, he ran in the Derby, 2000 metres.

“I don't have many choices. If I go to the big races, I have to think about it.”

Ho is similarly upbeat about the horse who has helped catapult the former Hong Kong champion apprentice to international prominence.

“He's a super horse. He's got a great mentality, just wants to chase whatever is in front of him in the straight,” Ho said.

“He just jumps out the gate and settles really well, wherever I want him to be, he's OK.

“Some horses can ran 20 seconds or 21 seconds for 400 metres, but he can produce that sprint in 1200m or 2000m races.

“Every jockey dreams of a horse like this. When you're on him, it's just so special. He not just makes you a better jockey, but he can win big races for you.”

Ho will also partner Caspar Fownes' Classique Legend in the HK$22 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) on what looms as a landmark day for the jockey.

“Classique Legend has trialed well and galloped well on Tuesday morning,” Ho said.

“He is a superstar in Australia, hopefully he can bring that form on Sunday. I'm extremely grateful to be on two great horses.

“The support I have received is great. I've been working very hard for years and I appreciate the trust they have in me to put me on their horses.

Karis Teetan, who will oppose Ho and Golden Sixty aboard Southern Legend in the Mile, is fatalistic about his chances in the HK$25 million feature.

“Well, after watching Golden Sixty gallop on Tuesday morning, I'm in trouble,” he said.

“Vincent, of course, has some history with Southern Legend (riding him three times for a win, a second and fifth placing). I'm lucky enough this time to ride him again.

“Of course, we all have respect for Golden Sixty but, when we're out there, the only thing in our mind is trying to win the race.”

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Los Alamitos Adjusts Post Times For Final Week Of Winter Meet

There will be some post time adjustments for the final week of the Los Angeles County Fair Winter meet at Los Alamitos.

Post time for Thursday, Dec. 17 and Friday, Dec. 18 will be 12:30 p.m.

The races will begin at 12 Noon on Saturday, Dec. 19 – which will be highlighted by the Grade II, $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity – and Sunday, Dec. 20, which is closing day.

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Arkansas Commission Approves Rule Changes On Clenbuterol, Lasix

During its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, Dec. 10, the Arkansas Racing Commission approved 16 rule changes originally proposed by Oaklawn Park and the Arkansas HBPA, reports the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Key provisions include the prohibition of Clenbuterol (and other beta2-agonists) within 60 days of a race, reduction in the maximum amount of Lasix without specific veterinary approval, and the mandatory use of safety whips in races.

The Clenbuterol regulations will be confirmed through hair testing, and will also provide for claimed horses to be tested for the bronchodilator, with the ability to void a claim if the claimed horse tests positive.

Lasix administration has been cut by 50 percent, to 250 milligrams, unless the official veterinarian approves a dose up to 500 milligrams. Since the Road to the Kentucky Derby and the Road to the Kentucky Oaks will not award points to horses racing on Lasix, the commission will prohibit the use of Lasix in any 3-year-old stakes race awarding points. These include: the Smarty Jones, Southwest (G3), Rebel (G2), Arkansas Derby (G1), Martha Washington, Honeybee (G3), and Fantasy (G3).

Additional rule changes include:

• The use of extracorporeal shock wave therapy, radial pulse wave therapy, or similar treatments will not be allowed within 30 days of a race. Also, shock wave equipment will not be allowed on Oaklawn's grounds at any time.
• Trainer and veterinarian records must be made available upon request for review by the pre-race exam veterinarians.
• The only riding crops allowed during races will be the 360 Gentle Touch (360 GT), Pro-Cush or other similar riding crops approved by the stewards.
• Horses will be required to be on the grounds at least 72 hours before races unless approved for late arrival. To facilitate this, entries will be scheduled at least four days prior to a race.

According to Byron Freeland, attorney for the commission, the rule changes won't go into effect until after review by the Legislative Council's Administrative Rules Subcommittee, which is scheduled to meet on Wednesday.

Read more at the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

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