Eleven Foreigners To Challenge Home Team On FWD Champions Day

A record 11 overseas-based gallopers, including Group 1 winners Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) from Great Britain and Japan's Mad Cool (Jpn) (Dark Angel {Ire}), are among the 35 total horses invited to participate in the trio of races which comprise FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin Racecourse on Apr. 28.

Trained by William Haggas, the globetrotting Dubai Honour pays a third visit to Hong Kong and will look to improve on his performance from 12 months ago, where he was a low-odds third behind the re-opposing, three-peat seeking Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the richest of the afternoon's events, the HK$28 million (£2.84 million/€3.29 million) G1 FWD QE II Cup. Also among the invitees is recent BMW Hong Kong Derby winner Massive Sovereign (Ire) (No Nay Never).

Whereas Dubai Honour was set for a strenuous two-race Australian Group 1 prep last term, he enters this year's contest a much fresher horse, having won Kempton's Listed Magnolia S. by a smooth three-length margin Apr. 1. Dubai Honour was also a respectable fourth in the 2022 G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup over the QE II Cup course and distance.

The G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize lost some of its lustre when the world's top-rated sprinter Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) was ruled out via injury, and it will be left to last-out G1 Al Quoz Sprint victor California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) to fly the Bauhinia flag. Victor the Winner (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) is also set to make an appearance, having set the pace before finishing a brave third to Mad Cool in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Mar. 23. Trainer George Boughey is set to be represented by his first Hong Kong runner in the 4-year-old filly Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), a dual listed winner in England and victorious in the G3 Prix Texanita at Chantilly in 2023.

Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) will try to win the G1 FWD Champions Mile for a record fourth time in what could be his final career appearance. The 8-year-old, a three-time Horse of the Year, will have the services of Vincent Ho as they look for an 11th Group 1 success together. Hong Kong Derby runner-up Galaxy Patch (Aus) (Wandjina {Aus}) drops back to the 1600 metres in a race that has also attracted All-Star Mile winner Obamburumai (Jpn) (Discreet Cat), beaten under three lengths in last weekend's G1 Doncaster Mile H. at Randwick, and Middle Park Racing LX's Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation), a stakes winner in no fewer than five different jurisdictions for trainer Archie Watson, including the Listed Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup in Qatar Feb. 17.

“FWD Champions Day is one of the most prestigious meetings on the international racing stage and we are delighted to have such a strong group of world-class horses heading to Sha Tin for our spring flagship meeting,” said Andrew Harding, executive director, racing, for the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “With eight visitors from Japan and three from Great Britain, the might of Hong Kong's team will be tested in all three feature races.”

 

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Strong European Challenge for Hong Kong’s Champions Day

Group 1 winners Regional (GB) (Territories {Ire}) and Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) head 12 European entries for the FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on April 28. A strong international challenge also includes 25 potential runners from Japan, eight from Australia and three from the UAE, while there are 41 locally-trained entries.

Regional, now six, gave his trainer Ed Bethell a first Group 1 success in last year's Haydock Sprint Cup and he has been entered for the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize, with prize-money totalling approximately £2.2 million. His fellow British-trained horses Annaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and Frost At Dawn (Frosted) are also entered.

The William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour, a dual Group 1 winner in Australia, would be returning for a third run in Hong Kong. He was fourth in the 2021 G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup and third last year in the G1 FWD QEII Cup, which this time around is worth approximately £2.8 million. Haggas has also entered Maljoom (Ire) (Caravaggio) for the G1 FWD Champions Mile, which could also feature Middleham Park Racing's globetrotting Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation), trained by Archie Watson, and Fort Payne (Fr) (Rio De La Plata) for French trainer Nicolas Caullery.

Three of the winners of last December's Hong Kong International Races – Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) – hold entries for the meeting, along with Japan's Fillies' Triple Crown winner Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) and Godolphin's Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}), winner of the G1 Jebel Hatta in January.

“We are excited by the spread and quality of international entries among the nominations for FWD Champions Day,” said Andrew Harding, executive director of racing for the Hong Kong Jockey Cub.

“The potential return of Golden Sixty in the FWD Champions Mile after his stunning Longines Hong Kong Mile performance in December, along with Romantic Warrior in the FWD QEII Cup and Lucky Sweynesse in the Chairman's Sprint Prize, lays the foundation for another wonderful staging of our spring flagship meeting.

“We are delighted at the support we have received from overseas owners and trainers in Japan, England, France, Ireland, Australia and the United Arab Emirates, with the number of entries across our three Group 1 features rising from 71 last season to 89 this year.”

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Hong Kong’s Heavyweights Front and Centre on Champions Day

Coming into Sunday's FWD Champions Day meeting–the spring Hong Kong International Races, if you will–two-time Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), reigning champion middle-distance horse Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and emerging sprinter Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) had absorbed a gut punch or two over the course of the season. But each put pay to any lingering disappointment from those efforts with eye-catching, skinny-odds victories at before a crowd of nearly 50,000 at Sha Tin Racecourse.

If you had a punt, one of two things happened–you either didn't get wealthy betting them or tore tickets trying to oppose them.

In the end, each of the trio proved soft winners. Lucky Sweynesse consolidated his position as the leading sprinter and arguably one of the all-time best sprinters in the jurisdiction in the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize, while Golden Sixty–who could not quite reel in California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in search of a three-peat in December's G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile–raced as close to the speed as he has in recent memory, then produced his trademark acceleration to win the G1 FWD Champions Mile for a record-setting third time. With the win, the 7-year-old reportedly surpasses Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) as the richest racehorse in history. Romantic Warrior could not solve Golden Sixty in the G1 Stewards' Cup and G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup in his two most recent runs, but he stamped his authority on the G1 FWD QE II Cup for the second year in a row, comfortably besting Japan's Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

“It was a day that showed Hong Kong racing has fully come back to the world stage with the atmosphere and the performances of these champion horses,” said Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. “This is really a global event and one which has improved the reputation of Hong Kong racing, especially after COVID. Today was a fantastic day of racing, the atmosphere was electrifying and the fans definitely supported us.”

Romantic Warrior Makes History Of His Own

Reported to have had a bit of a temperature the days leading up to his Gold Cup defeat, Romantic Warrior was on song for the QE II Cup and put on dominating performance in defence of his title.

Forwardly placed as Money Catcher (NZ) (Ferlax {NZ}) was allowed to crawl up front, Romantic Warrior was slipped just a bit of rein by the visiting James McDonald–also in the saddle in December–and the duo quickly went to the front-runner shortly after turning into the straight before streaking clear. His final 400 metres were timed in :22.53, faster than Golden Sixty's finishing kick and only fractionally slower than Lucky Sweynesse.

“He's a world-class horse and put in a performance just like he did in December,” said McDonald. “There wasn't one part of the race where I thought he wasn't right–he was always going to explode for me–and the race panned out beautifully. He's a world-class horse. It took an absolute weapon to run him down last time, but he's a great 2000m horse and I really enjoy riding him.”

Prognosis, last-out winner of the G2 Kinko Sho, rallied from the tail to be second, while Dubai Honour (GB) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) kept on for third in a race that wasn't run to suit, according to his trainer William Haggas.

“It was messy from our point of view but Romantic Warrior was so good,” the conditioner said of Dubai Honour, who won the G1 Ranvet S. and G1 Longines Queen Elizabeth S. in Australia prior to his getting his passport stamped in Hong Kong as well. “But the last few months have been fantastic, more than I could have dreamed of, and it really whets your appetite for more of these trips.”

Trainer Danny Shum was at one time an assistant to Ivan Allan, who sent Fairy King Prawn (Aus) (Danehill) to Japan to win the Yasuda Kinen, and that country could be a future port of call for Romantic Warrior.

“I feel big relief and I must say a big thank you to my stable team, the mafoos, the work rider Gary Lau as they work very hard and never give up,” he said. “We plan to run now in the [G1 Standard Chartered] Champions and Chater Cup (2400m, May 28] and then we will have a good look about Japan for next season.

The 2000-metre Tenno Sho (Autumn) is what Shum is considering, a race that could also attract the world's top-rated Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}).

“I'd like to go to Japan,” Shum added. “I have a history because my ex-boss Ivan won the Yasuda Kinen and I hope I will follow him successfully and win a Group 1 there.”

 

 

Pedigree Notes:

Romantic Warrior is one of three winners from three to the races for his dam, a daughter of the English listed-winning and Group 3-placed, G2 Prix Jean Romanet and GI E. P. Taylor S. winner Folk Opera, who was purchased by Blandford Bloodstock carrying to Exceed and Excel (Aus) for €82,000 at the 2016 Goffs November Sale. The in-utero purchase, named Melodic Charm (Ire), was sold for 85,000gns at the 2018 Tattersalls October Sale and was a two-time winner at the races for Saeed Manana and James Tate before clearly benefitting from the success of Romantic Warrior when selling to the China Horse Club  for 270,000gns in foal to Dark Angel (Ire) at last year's Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Folk Melody is also the dam of the 3-year-old colt Operation Gimcrack (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) and a yearling colt by the same stallion.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
FWD QE II CUP-G1, HK$25,000,000, Sha Tin, 4-30, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:01.92, gd.
1–ROMANTIC WARRIOR (IRE), 126, g, 5, by Acclamation (GB)
1st Dam: Folk Melody (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Folk Opera (Ire), by Singspiel (Ire)
3rd Dam: Skiphall (GB), by Halling
(300,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT; HK$4,800,000 HRA '21 HKJUN). O-Peter Lau Pak Fai; B-Corduff Stud & T J Rooney; T-Danny Shum Chap-shing; J-James McDonald; HK$14,250,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 4yo & Ch. Middle Distance Horse-HK, 13-10-2-0, HK$81,725,400. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
2–Prognosis (GB), 126, h, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Velda (GB), by Observatory. O-Shadai Race Horse Ltd; B-Shadai Farm; T-Mitsumasa Nakauchida; J-Zac Purton; HK$5,500,000.
3–Dubai Honour (GB), 126, g, 5, Pride Of Dubai (Aus)–Mondelice (GB), by Montjeu (Ire). (110,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Mohammed Obaida; B-Macha Bloodstock/Meridian International; T-William Haggas; J-Tom Marquand; HK$2,500,000.
Margins: 2, HF, HF. Odds: 3-5, 33-5, 37-10.
Also Ran: Money Catcher (NZ), Danon the Kid (Jpn), Geraldina (Jpn), Tourbillon Diamond (Aus). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing.

G60 Legacy Grows In Champions Mile

As the HKJC's Nick Child told jockey Vincent Ho post-race, there comes a point where you run out of superlatives for a horse like Golden Sixty. In scoring for the ninth time at the elite level, he surpasses Beauty Generation (NZ) as the most prolific Group 1 winner in Hong Kong history, becomes the first to win the Champions Mile three times and reportedly assumes the mantle as the world's richest-ever racehorse.

Soon to turn eight, Golden Sixty is still delivering the goods and was even showing a bit of a new dimension Sunday afternoon. Very quickly into stride, he was content to sit atypically handy to the pace so as not to allow California Spangle and BMW Hong Kong Derby hero Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) to get too far away. Best known for his killer turn of foot, Golden Sixty was allowed to creep forward and split the two front-runners, looking precariously placed for a stride or two, but when asked to sprint, he left his rivals in the dust to record a third straight victory overall since going down to defeat in the Hong Kong Mile.

“We got a sneak through the inside, one off and sort of in second position,” Ho explained. “I told myself before this race to try and enjoy every moment with Golden Sixty because he is seven now and we don't know when he is going to retire but it's the best way to enjoy every single step with him.

“I'm nothing without him. All of the credit goes to Golden Sixty,” the soft-spoken Ho added humbly.

Having annexed two-thirds of the older horse Triple Crown, Golden Sixty could press on for a sweep in the Champions and Chater Cup, where he would find Romantic Warrior again. But trainer Francis Lui is thinking more long-term, with the Hong Kong Mile the objective.

“Now we just keep a little bit longer in between races, before we could keep racing–even some of the Group 3 races–but now we just pick the Group 1 races,” Lui said.

 

 

Pedigree Notes:

Golden Sixty's dam, winner of the 2006 G2 Debutante S. for Jim Bolger, is also responsible for the Southern Hemisphere-bred 3-year-old filly Golden Sister (Aus) (Capitalist {Aus}), an A$425,000 graduate of the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, who was unraced in Australia and has since been sent to the U.S., where she was to be covered by Medaglia d'Oro this breeding season. The mare's current yearling is a filly by Medaglia d'Oro's 2015 G1 Golden Slipper S. hero Vancouver (Aus) and she produced a filly by Wootton Bassett (GB) last Oct. 10 before visiting So You Think (NZ) last November.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
FWD CHAMPIONS MILE-G1, HK$20,000,000, Sha Tin, 4-30, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:33.34, gd.
1–GOLDEN SIXTY (AUS), 126, g, 7, by Medaglia d'Oro
1st Dam: Gaudeamus (GSW-Ire, $179,846), by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Leo's Lucky Lady, by Seattle Slew
3rd Dam: Konafa, by Damascus
(A$120,000 Ylg '17 MMGCYS; NZ$300,000 2yo '17 NZBRTR). O-Stanley Chan Ka Leung; B-Asco International Pty Ltd (Qld); T-Francis Lui Kin-wai; J-Vincent Ho Chak-yiu; HK$11,400,000. Lifetime Record: 2x Horse of the Year, 2x Ch. Miler, Ch. Middle Distance Horse & Ch. 4yo-HK, 29-25-2-1, HK$147,930,600. *1/2 to Igitur (Aus) (Helmet {Aus}), SP-Aus; and Rainbow Connection (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}), GSP-Aus, $134,127. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.  Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
2–Beauty Joy (Aus), 126, g, 6, Sebring (Aus)–Impressive Jeuney (Aus), by Jeune (GB). O-Eleanor Kwok Law Kwai Chun; B-; T-Tony Cruz A S; J-Hugh Bowman; HK$4,400,000.
3–California Spangle (Ire), 126, g, 5, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Pearlitas Passion (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire). (€150,000 Ylg '19 GOFORB). O-Howard Liang Yum Shing; B-M Enright; T-Tony Cruz A S; J-Zac Purton; HK$2,000,000.
Margins: 1HF, 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 2-5, 20-1, 11-5.
Also Ran: Voyage Bubble (Aus), Aegon (NZ), My Oberon (GB), Waikuku (Ire), Healthy Happy (Aus). Scratched: Glorious Dragon (Ire). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing.

'Swey'-ing To The Music

Hustled along early, Lucky Sweynesse was trapped out three deep early in the Chairman's Sprint Prize, but he always traveled like a winner, and when Purton hit the gas in upper stretch, the race was well and truly put to bed. In the end, he had a margin of 3 1/4 lengths on fellow Kiwi-bred Courier Wonder (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}). Two-time defending Chairman's winner Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}), who proved the chief beneficiary when odds-on Lucky Sweynesse ran into serious trouble when sixth on international day, was a well-beaten third.

In the process, Lucky Sweynesse was securing an HK$5-million bonus for becoming the first since the legendary Silent Witness (Aus) to sweep the Sprint series which also included the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) in February and the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) the following month. The 4-year-old is unbeaten in five starts since the Hong Kong Sprint Dec. 11.

“He's very unassuming and once he gets out of the gates, you can ride him anywhere. Inside, outside,” Purton said. “He's versatile in his races, he can come from back in the field, he's led, he's stalked the leader. He's such a lovely horse and he's very laid-back and he conserves his energy for races.”

Lucky Sweynesse has been registered for the G1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo in early June, a race that would mark his first start at the mile. The Everest in Sydney has also been mentioned as a potential option, but connections are playing it close to the vest for now.

“I think, at this moment, we're thinking about 1200m or 1400m distance,” Man said. “One mile is still a concern, the distance. We're still thinking. I need to discuss with the owner first. When we make the decision, we'll tell everybody.”

Pedigree Notes:

A full-brother to 2021 G1 Queensland Oaks third Signora Nera, Lucky Sweynesse has a 3-year-old half-brother by Per Incanto and a yearling half-brother by Contributer (Ire). Having missed to Sweynesse for 2022, Madonna Mia most recently returned to that stallion.

 

 

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
CHAIRMAN'S SPRINT PRIZE-G1, HK$20,000,000, Sha Tin, 4-30, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.38, gd.
1–LUCKY SWEYNESSE (NZ), 126, g, 4, by Sweynesse (Aus)
1st Dam: Madonna Mia (NZ) (SW-NZ, $134,764), by Red Clubs (Ire)
2nd Dam: Hill of Hope (Aus), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Macozie (Aus), by Marscay (Aus)
(NZ$90,000 2yo '20 NZBRTR). O-Cheng Ming Leung, Cheng Yu Tung, Cheng Mei Mei & Cheng Yu Wai; B-P L Dombroski, Explosive Breeding Ltd & S A Sharrock; T-Manfred Man Ka-leung; J-Zac Purton; HK$11,400,000. Lifetime Record: 16-12-2-1, HK$43,885,200. *Full to Signora Nera (NZ), G1SP-Aus, SP-NZ, $145,027. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
2–Courier Wonder (NZ), 126, g, 5, Sacred Falls (NZ)–Fabulist (NZ), by Savabeel (Aus). (NZ$150,000 Ylg '19 NZBJAN). O-Mr & Mrs Chadwick Mok Cham Hung; B-Waikato Stud Ltd; T-John Size; J-Hugh Bowman; HK$4,400,000.
3–Wellington (Aus), 126, g, 6, All Too Hard (Aus)–Mihiri (Aus), by More Than Ready. (A$70,000 Ylg '18 MMGCYS). O-Mr & Mrs Michael Cheng Wing On & Jeffrey Cheng Man Cheong; B-Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd, David Paradise, Steve McCann (NSW); T-Richard Gibson; J-Alexis Badel; HK$2,000,000.
Margins: 3 1/4, 1 1/4, 1. Odds: 1-5, 33-1, 32-5.
Also Ran: Sight Success (Aus), Aguri (Jpn), Duke Wai (NZ), Flaming Rib (Ire), Master Eight (Aus). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing.

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Home Trio Goes For More Champions Day Glory

With a horse population that numbers around 1200, Hong Kong proudly boasts four of the top six horses in the latest Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings (WBRR), each of which will be warm items Sunday when Sha Tin Racecourse plays host to its second-biggest day of international racing annually, the FWD Champions Day program.

Of the quartet, Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) sits just behind Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) at the top of the heap and looks to make history when he goes in search of a third straight success in the G1 FWD Champions Mile. After being thwarted in one such pursuit by the re-opposing and WBRR #6 California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile in December, Hong Kong's all-time leading money spinner turned the tables in the G1 Stewards' Cup in January and beat Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB})–joint-fourth in the rankings–at his best game in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) the following month. The connections of Golden Sixty passed on an attempt at desert riches in the G1 Dubai Turf in favour of the Champions Mile and there is no lack of optimism in his camp.

“I don't feel any pressure, the pressure before the race is that I hope he can win, always,” said trainer Francis Lui. “Every time we plan, we do it after the race and my future plan is another Hong Kong Mile in December.”

While Golden Sixty will be a short-priced favourite in a race that also includes G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas hero Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) and BMW Hong Kong Derby hero Voyage  Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), Romantic Warrior has something to prove in defence of his title in last year's G1 FWD QE II Cup over the metric mile and a quarter. Last year's Derby winner was an eye-catching in adding the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup on international day in December, but he was a battling second in the Stewards' Cup and could not sprint with Golden Sixty in the Gold Cup. Sunday's race is anything but a 'gimme', given the presence of last-out G1 Longines Queen Elizabeth S. winner Dubai Honour (GB) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}). Victorious in the G1 Ranvet S. prior to that, he was a close fourth to Japan's Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the 2021 Hong Kong Cup and is a giant threat Sunday.

The QE II Cup has gone to Japan three of the last six years and the nation sends across a typically strong contingent this weekend. Geraldina (Jpn), a daughter of former Champions Mile winner Maurice (Jpn) and fellow Japanese Horse of the Year Gentildonna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), defeated her peers in Japan's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup and was a sound third to Equinox in the G1 Arima Kinen. She should strip fitter for a better-than-it-looks sixth behind Jack d'Or (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) in the G1 Osaka Hai last time. The progressive Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was a fast-finishing winner of the G2 Kinko Sho Mar. 12 and has the services of Zac Purton, while Danon the Kid (Jpn) (Just A Way {Jpn}) was runner-up in last year's Hong Kong Cup and exits a narrowly beaten third in the Osaka Hai.

Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) goes for back-to-back wins in the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize, but will fill a supporting role against the in-form Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}), who shares fourth in the WBRR with Romantic Warrior. Disappointed for a clear run when sixth to Wellington in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint, he enters this test on a four-race winning streak, a stretch that also includes the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup and G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup. Pending the results from this weekend, he could travel to Japan for the G1 Yasuda Kinen for his next appearance.

Adding a bit of intrigue to the Chairman's are Sight Success (Aus) (Magnus {Aus}) and Duke Wai (NZ) (Per Incanto), a creditable fourth and fifth, respectively, in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan Mar. 25.

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