October, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Nearly 60 Top-Level Winners Entered for Longines HKIR

With a record HK$100 million available across the four tests that comprise the Longines Hong Kong International Races, some 135 horses from all corners of the globe–including a whopping 57 that have already struck at Group 1/Grade I level–have been entered for the 'Turf World Championships,' to be held Sunday, Dec. 12 at Sha Tin Racecourse.

Despite the ongoing complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic–the staging of the Longines HKIR is officially subject to the approval of the HKSAR Government–fully 90 entries were received from the connections of overseas runners, eager to take a crack at some of Hong Kong's finest Thoroughbreds.

There is no higher-profile horse in the region than Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), the reigning Horse of the Year and defending champion of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile. The 6-year-old, trained by Francis Lui, has won 17 of his 18 career starts and is currently in the midst of a 14-race winning streak. The gelding is set to have his first run of the season in the G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile Nov. 21.

Japanese-based horses won two of the four events last season and make up 40 of the entries from abroad. Among them are Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who upset the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint last December, as well as champion Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who holds an entry for the day's richest event, the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000mT) as well as the Mile. The daughter of Tapitsfly (Tapit) is slated to run in this weekend's G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo. Also among the entries from the 'Land of the Rising Sun' are last weekend's G1 Kikuka Sho hero Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), Vase; Uberleben (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}), the reigning G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) winner; G1 Yasuda Kinen hero Danon Kingly (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}); and the well-traveled Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), currently in America for the Breeders' Cup meeting who took out the G1 FWD QE II Cup over the Sha Tin 2000 metres this past April.

Europe is strongly represented in each of the four HKIR. Mogul (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) could return to Sha Tin for a title defence in the Vase, while the Joseph O'Brien-conditioned State of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) has been given an entry in both the Cup and the Vase as he tries to build on his narrow victory in the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Oct. 23. Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), who will be looking for a repeat success in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar on Saturday week, has also been handed dual entries, while Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), recently a good third to Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {Ire}) in the G1 QIPCO British Champion S. Oct. 16, is an interesting 3-year-old possibility for Cup-winning trainer Jim Bolger. This year's G1 Deutsches Derby winner Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}) holds an entry for the Vase.

The home team always puts up a strong defence, that could include top sprinter Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}); Panfield (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky), a treble Group 1 winner in Chile who took out last year's G1 Champions and Chater Cup over 12 furlongs; last year's BMW Hong Kong Derby victor Sky Darci (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}); and last-start G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize hero Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}), to name but a few.

The United States is represented by a pair of entries in the form of Gufo (Declaration of War) and Channel Cat (English Channel), each nominated to both the Cup and the Vase, while Singapore-based trainer Stephen Gray has entered Singapore Derby winner Hard Too Think (Aus) for the Cup and the Vase; and Kharisma (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}) for the Sprint.

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Order Of Australia Injured, Retired

Order Of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) will not get the chance to defend his title in next weekend's GI Breeders' Cup Mile after suffering a career-ending injury on Wednesday morning.

The 4-year-old, who was a rare longshot winner of a Breeders' Cup race for trainer Aidan O'Brien last year when winning at 73-1 at Keeneland, also won this year's G2 Minstrel S. He was third in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois and second in the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp before finishing last of 12 when returning to Keeneland for the GI Keeneland Turf Mile S. on Oct. 9.

“He won't get to race again,” O'Brien revealed during a Breeders' Cup press conference on Wednesday. “He had a small fracture and had a pin put in it this morning, but the operation and everything went well. He will go off to stud now.”

Order Of Australia is out of Senta's Dream (GB) (Danehill), and is therefore a half-brother to GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and four-time Group 1 winner Iridessa (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}) and to this year's ill-fated GI Belmont Oaks Invitational and GI Beverly D. S. winner Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Their second dam is the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf victress Starine (Fr) (Mendocino).

O'Brien is still set to be represented in the Mile by Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), while Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is entered in both the GI Turf and GI Filly & Mare Turf over a quarter-mile shorter. Interestingly, O'Brien has four Grade/Group 1 winners that need defections to get into the turf field-Bolshoi Ballet (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Broome (GB) (Australia {GB}), Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire})-and thus O'Brien said Love may go to the Filly & Mare Turf to allow first reserve Japan a run.

“It is very possible that could happen,” O'Brien said. “I think the American handicap system is a little bit different to ours. It wasn't on ratings horses were getting in. We have four Group 1 winners who are all reserves so it is possible we might have to take Love out of [the Turf] and run her in the Filly & Mares to give the other horses a chance to get into the Turf. The horses are due to fly on Saturday. We'll have an idea by then what chance they have of getting in or not.”

O'Brien's lone juvenile representative at the Breeders' Cup is Evie Stockwell, Coolmore and Westerberg's G3 Killavullan S. scorer Glounthaune (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the GI Juvenile Turf, while he also has La Joconde (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) engaged in the Filly & Mare Turf.

Click here for the full Breeders' Cup pre-entries.

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Breeders’ Cup Presents The News Minute: International Pre-Entries At Record Level

A record 56 international runners was pre-entered for the Nov. 5-6 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar racetrack near San Diego, Calif. Overall, 196 horses were pre-entered for the 14 races that culminate with the Nov. 6 $6-million Longines Classic. With a 5:40 p.m. Pacific post time, the Classic will be aired on prime-time television on the East Coast on the NBC network between 8-9 p.m. ET.

The ink hadn't dried on the pre-entry forms yet when it was learned there will be at least one defection from overseas. Trainer Aidan O'Brien said Order of Australia would not make the trip from Ireland to defend his title in the Breeders' Cup Mile after suffering a setback on Wednesday morning. Order of Australia was one of eight returning Breeders' Cup winners pre-entered. The others are Knicks Go, Essential Quality, Tarnawa, Audarya, Gamine, Glass Slippers and Golden Pal.

Final entries are due on the morning of Monday, Nov. 1, with post positions drawn that afternoon in the Del Mar paddock at 2:30 p.m. The general public is invited to attend.

In this Breeders' Cup News Minute, publisher Ray Paulick takes a closer look at some of the pre-entries and offers a historical perspective on what races have on average provided the biggest (and lowest) payouts.

Watch the Breeders' Cup News Minute below:

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Northwell Opens Clinic to Treat Belmont Park Backstretch Workers

In collaboration with Northwell Health, the New York Racing Association and the Backstretch Employee Service Team, a new health clinic will open for Belmont Park workers, it was announced Wednesday.

The $200,000, 1,000-square-foot health clinic will provide a continuum of care and offer wellness programs for the thousands of backstretch workers at Belmont Park. The free program is part of Northwell's commitment to providing equitable care to all New Yorkers.

“Clinics like this one are important because they allow quick access to care, before health issues become health care emergencies,” said Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health. “This community dedicated to the sport of Thoroughbred racing deserves a commitment to wellness–and Northwell Health is happy to provide it. That's our passion.”

Northwell provided coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing for Belmont workers beginning in 2020 and provided COVID-19 vaccines in 2021. Now, Northwell will offer clinic hours three days a week with the opportunity for specialty services as needed. The clinic features two exam rooms and lab services for point of care testing.

“This important partnership will increase access to high quality health care for the backstretch community at Belmont Park,” said David O'Rourke, President and CEO of NYRA “Northwell Health has already made a significant impact through their COVID-19 testing and vaccination efforts here at Belmont, and we thank them for their dedicated service to the men and women working every day to support thoroughbred racing in New York State.”

“Northwell came to the rescue of the backstretch workers during the pandemic and now BEST is thrilled to collaborate again with Northwell to provide the hard working backstretch workers of Belmont and Aqueduct with on-going, first-class, primary and preventative care,” said Paul Ruchames, executive director of BEST. “BEST is also deeply grateful for the steadfast and generous support from the New York Racing Association and the New York Thoroughbred Horseman`s Association, without which none of the great achievements of the past 20 months and beyond, would be possible.”

Through Northwell's ongoing efforts, more than 90% of backstretch workers are vaccinated, well above the New York State average.

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