Tag: Gold Trip

Longines HKIR Draw Entries From a Dozen Countries

The 2023 Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting to be held at Sha Tin Racecourse Sunday, Dec. 10, has attracted some 189 entries–including a whopping 68 from Japan–from a total of 12 racing jurisdictions. The four Group 1 races, collectively deemed the 'World Turf Championships, will offer record prizemoney of HK$118 million (£12.4 million/€14.3 million/A$23.8 million/US$15.1 million).

The entries include no fewer than 55 Group 1 winners from around the globe, including Sunday Racing's exciting Japanese Triple Tiara winner Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), who was given the option of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase over the 2400 metres or the 2000 metres of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup, the world's richest turf race at the distance at HK$36 million. Though her participation in Hong Kong hinges on her performance in the G1 Japan Cup just two weekends prior, she would in all likelihood face defending champion Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), fourth in the Oct. 7 G1 Turnbull S. at Flemington and current ante-post favourite for Saturday's G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley. Sunday's high-quality renewal of the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) could also produce a runner or two for the Cup in the form of Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Jack d'Or (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) and/or Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}).

Aidan O'Brien has 13 horses under his care that are among the HKIR entries, including G1 St Leger hero Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), who is also penciled in for a start in the Japan Cup and has entries for both the Cup and the Vase. Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Cox Plate entrant Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) are also possible for the Cup, while Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) may try to regroup in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile after struggling in the bottomless ground on Champion Day at Ascot Oct. 21. The Hong Kong-owned and Ralph Beckett-trained Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}), a likely marquee ride at the meeting for Frankie Dettori, is entered for the Mile, where he could clash with two-time winner and multiple Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), as well as the talented California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), who served notice with a weight-carrying victory in the G2 Sha Tin Trophy H. when first-up for nearly six months on Oct. 15.

 

Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) has eschewed a return trip to America for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in favour of an appearance in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint. The 6-year-old mare could square off there with champion local sprinter Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}), who endured a luckless passage in last year's renewal in finishing sixth to Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}). The latter is now conditioned by Jamie Richards, in his second season in Hong Kong, and who has assumed training duties with the retirement of Richard Gibson. Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) is a potential HKIR raider from France, having defeated fellow Vase entry Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}) in the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin in August.

Since the easing of COVID-related travel restrictions, the connections of Australian-based horses have been more willing to consider HKIR as a post-Melbourne Cup Carnival option, and such is the case this year, as 23 horses have been entered across the four races. The lot is headed up by last year's Melbourne Cup upsetter Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}), four-times Group 1 winner Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars {Aus}) and the ultra-consistent Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}), each of whom are among the 12-strong Cox Plate field on Saturday.

A relatively bulky 10-horse entry from North America includes the Bill Mott-trained multiple Grade I winners War Like Goddess (English Channel) and Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed), while trainer Mark Casse is also represented by a pair in Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) and Get Smokin (Get Stormy).

Three-time Group 1 winner Sharp 'n' Smart (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) is the lone entrant from New Zealand, while Singapore's best Lim's Kosciuzsko (Aus) (Kermadec {NZ}) and Famous Jonathon (NZ) (Deep Field {Aus}) from Macau have also been entered.

 

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Flemington Kickstarts Run of Australian World Pool Meetings

Kicking off the World Pool meetings, last weekend's Turnbull Stakes Day at Flemington drew HK$133.4 million (approx. A$26.6 million) in wagering. The card consisted of five races from Flemington combined with four from Newmarket and one, the Gran Premio Latinoamericano, from San Isidro.

Defending G1 Melbourne Cup champion Gold Trip took the featured G1 Turnbull S. The combined Win pool on the five World Pool races (A$6,545,489.82) was almost nine times the combined pool on the five non-World Pool races with the Victorian tote ($743,831.06).

Meanwhile, the combined Duet (Quinella Place) pools on the final five races (A$6,732,853.78) represented a 36.8% increase on the same pools for the first five races (A$18,226.68).

The first ever World Pool on a Sydney meeting will take place Oct. 14 when nine races from Randwick, including the A$20-million The Everest, will be available for betting on six continents. World Pool meetings will follow in Melbourne for Caulfield Cup Day (Oct. 21), Cox Plate Day (Oct. 28) and Victoria Derby Day (Nov. 4). British Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse will also be included Oct. 21.

For more information, click here.

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Monfort Labels Graduate Gold Trip “A Warrior” After Melbourne Cup Win

Michel Monfort, the man responsible for breeding this year's G1 Melbourne Cup hero Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) (video), has described his graduate as “a warrior.”

Monfort bought Gold Trip's dam Sarvana (Fr), a daughter of Dubai Destination, before mating her with GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Outstrip (GB), who now stands in Brazil having spent six seasons at Dalham Hall.

The resulting foal turned out to be Gold Trip, who made €60,000 at the Arqana August Sale from the Haras de Grandcamp draft to Gerard Larrieu.

Gold Trip won a Group 2 in his native France for Fabrice Chappet and changed hands to join Ciaron Maher and David Eustace's barn in Australia after he finished third behind Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud last year.

But the undoubted highlight of Gold Trip's career came when he stormed to a two-length victory in Australia's most famous race and his breeder has backed him to be a continued success.

Monfort told Jour de Galop on Tuesday morning, “He could have continued to have a very good career in Europe. He's quite a warrior. Gold Trip won beautifully this morning in Australia, particularly given the weight he was carrying. It augurs well for the future.”

Back in 2020, Monfort told JDG about his approach to buying Sarvana, recalling how he overlooked her obvious flaws.

He said, “I bought Sarvana in almost a timid manner. She wasn't very expensive, but she was from a good Aga Khan family. She was by a stallion who has proven to be a good broodmare sire.

“These were the criteria upon which I was concentrating on during that time to buy a mare. I appreciated also that she had made it to the races, even though it was only one time.”

He added, “She proved that she had a good enough head on her and that she didn't have any hidden health problems. I envisioned the only start Sarvana had made and she wasn't at all defective. But the big outlets, if the horse didn't have a future in big races, didn't hesitate to turn the page.”

Sarvana was sold for €280,000 to David Redvers acting on behalf of Sheikh Fahad al Thani in the interim, but Monfort's interest in the family continues as he retained two fillies from the mare.

He added on Tuesday, “We have kept two fillies, of which Got Wind (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) has earned black type at two and three. In general, I think if you use mares with solid families, you increase your chances to produce good horses.

“I also try to have mares from good stallions or good broodmare sires. With a descendant of Mr. Prospector like Sarvana, using stallions from the Danehill line was an interesting option.

“I believe very much in the outcross, like in the case of Gold Trip. It was my idea, anyway. The fact of carrying a different blood, that's one of the factors of the success of sons of Dubawi (Ire) right now in Europe. You can also point to the purchase of Wootton Bassett (GB) by Coolmore.

“You can get a Grade 1 winner by Outstrip or by Hat Trick (Jpn). I think there is still a place for passionate breeders, people looking for good crosses. Even if it is surely more and more difficult, and more and more expensive, to stay competitive. I also think that Outstrip is a horse who could have stayed in Europe. Without getting good mares, he still produced horses who pleased a lot of riders.”

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