Tag: Pixie Knight

Namura Clair Drawn Cosily For Sprinters’ As Group 1 Racing Returns to Japan

After a break of just over 100 days, elite-level racing returns to the Japanese racing scene, as a full field of 18 is set to face the starter in Sunday's Sprinters' S. at Nakayama Racecourse.

Five of the entrants are making a repeat appearance in the 1200-metre test, including Namura Clair (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}), who was a sound fifth in last year's running in what was her final appearance as a 3-year-old.

After besting First Force (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in the G3 Silk Road S. in January, the filly was runner-up to that rival in a soggy-turf renewal of the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen Mar. 26.  An even eighth to the GI Breeders' Cup Mile-bound Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in the G1 Victoria Mile in May, she most recently overcame a wide trip from a double-digit barrier to take out the G3 Keeneland Cup at Sapporo Aug. 27. She has drawn the inside stall for this return to Group 1 competition.

“She's filled out a lot more and is able to concentrate better on what's needed in a race, whether it's speed or closing well at the finish,” said jockey Suguru Hamanaka. “She's certainly in good condition, and she should run well if everything goes her way.”

Aguri (Jpn) (Caravaggio), a grandson of GISW Together (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), cost nearly $1 million at the 2020 JRHA Select Sale and is battle tested for a relatively lightly raced horse. Victorious in a Group 3 test over 1400 metres on seasonal debut Feb. 26, he weakened to seventh in the easy ground in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen and was fifth behind Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) in the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize in Hong Kong Apr. 30. Resuming as a 3-1 chance in the G2 Centaur S. Sept. 10, he fell far behind, but whooshed home to be second to front-running T M Spada (Jpn) (Red Spada {Jpn}) while covering his final 600m in a race-fastest :32.4.

Jasper Krone (Frosted) looks to become the second American-bred winner of the Sprinters' in succession after Gendarme (Kitten's Joy) pulled off a 19-1 surprise last fall. Possessed of blistering speed, he'll try to outfoot them from a high alley and go as far and as fast as he can. The 4-year-old has employed all-the-way tactics in consecutive Group 3 scores at this distance, including a half-length defeat of Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune)'s full-sister Mama Cocha (Jpn) in the Kitakyushu Kinen at the end of August.

Pixie Knight (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) won this as a 3-year-old in 2021 and was a sneaky good eighth in the Centaur, and All at Once (Jpn) (Makfi {GB}) also has longshot claims, as he weaved his way through traffic under deft handling to upset the G3 Ibis Summer Dash down the 1000-metre straight at Niigata first off a year layoff July 30.

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Sky Field Wins Hong Kong Sprint Marred By Four-Horse Spill; Two Runners Euthanized

Caspar Fownes and Blake Shinn were left with conflicting emotions after Sky Field steamed to success in the HK$24 million Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), fending off world-class opposition from Japan to continue Hong Kong's dominance in the event.

Shinn, 34, slotted his first G1 triumph in Hong Kong but the Melbourne Cup-winning jockey's thoughts – and those also of Fownes – were with Pixie Knight (Yuichi Fukunaga), Lucky Patch (Zac Purton), Naboo Attack (Karis Teetan), and Amazing Star (Lyle Hewitson), who fell on the home turn.

Shinn and Sky Field avoided the incident before staving off Resistencia (Christophe Soumillon) by three-quarters of a length in 1:08.66. Courier Wonder (Joao Moreira) was third, one and a half lengths from the winner.

Shinn's faith in Sky Field, a son of Deep Field, was rewarded on the highest stage and came three seasons into the Australian's Hong Kong stint.

“I have mixed emotions for winning this race today. Obviously, the first emotion is that my feelings are with the fallen jockeys and horses out there,” said the quietly-spoken Australian said.

“It's gut-wrenching for any rider to see a horse go down. What's happened today, it's a real bittersweet win and in a way, it's a hard win to take in the circumstances.

“All credit to Caspar Fownes, he's given me the opportunity to ride this lovely animal over the previous season and this season.

“We've always had faith in him but on the big stage, things haven't always gone this way. Today, he performed to his best today and still beat a handy horse in chasing down a top-line horse in Courier Wonder and the Japanese horse (Resistencia).

“He's a great horse and hopefully he can keep going forward.”

Fownes, 54, has built a strong alliance with Shinn, who struggled initially to cope with the demands of Hong Kong racing.

The reigning champion Hong Kong trainer, Fownes posted his third HKIR victory with Sky Field joining 2006 Hong Kong Mile winner The Duke and 2011 Hong Kong Sprint victor Lucky Nine on the stable's honour roll.

“Definitely watching the run live, it was nasty and we've got mixed emotions there,” Fownes said. “One hand, you've got a horse that is trucking along; at the same time, in your mind, you're thinking about 'I hope the boys are alright and the horses'.

“It was nice to get that result with that particular horse, especially for Blake – he's been riding really well and again today another good performance, so well deserved.

“I've said it for a while that he's (Sky Field) pretty special and I think he's got his best racing ahead of him. We've got something really nice to work with and it's nice to see him do that today”

Soumillon, who finished third in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) on Ebaiyra, had to be content with another minor placing at the highest level.

“The filly (Resistencia) ran well. Unfortunately, we had a bad movement in the turn. I had to shift in to run away from the fallen horses,” the Belgian champion said.

“The winner pushed me out in the straight. She gave me a very good effort. It nearly looks a bit short for her today. I think over 1400m, she will be even better.”

Ryan Moore, who piloted Hot King Prawn into an honourable fourth, said: “My horse ran respectably. Maybe he might be happy going longer now.”

Damian Lane, who rode Computer Patch into sixth place, said: “He tried hard, he had a little bit of pressure early but travelled well mid-race. He just couldn't quite sprint with the winner at the end.”

(Editor's note: according to media reports, Amazing Star, who was the first to fall, and one of the trailing horses, Naboo Attack, were euthanized. Lucky Patch and Pixie Knight apparently escaped serious injury. Jockeys Zac Purton, Lyle Hewitson and Yuichi Fukunaga were taken to a nearby hospital and reported to be in stable condition. Karis Teetan rode later races on the card and was uninjured.)

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Plenty To Play For at Longines HKIR

by Alan Carasso

The Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse has had much to overcome over the last few years. In 2019, massive social unrest–including a cluster at the Chinese University of Hong Kong a stone's throw from the track–left some doubt as to whether the event would go forward at all. At the end of the day, not only did it proceed, but it was supported to the tune of record turnover of HK$1.71 billion.

Twelve months ago, in the midst of a pandemic that was wreaking worldwide havoc, the Hong Kong Jockey Club established a travel bubble, allowing participants to travel to Hong Kong and to attend to their horses as normal while having their movement otherwise severely restricted. The show went on–albeit in front of an empty grandstand–and was an unmitigated success by any metric. Despite the discovery of a new COVID variant now making its way around, the fans–upwards of 18,000 of them after a bit more than 6,000 patrons saw Zac Purton take out Wednesday's Longines International Jockeys' Championship at Happy Valley–will return to Sha Tin Sunday afternoon for a day of top international racing, with horses from England, France, Ireland and Japan taking on the locals for record prizemoney of HK$100 million (£9.7 million/€11.3 million/A$17.9 million/US$12.8 million).

The winners of three of last year's HKIR return to the New Territories in search of a second crown. Mogul (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will attempt to become the fourth individual winner of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m) for Team Ballydoyle and Aidan O'Brien, who sent out the globetrotting Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to score in 2015 and 2017. A clear three-length winner over Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) last year, the bay has been fractionally disappointing this term, his best effort being a third in the G1 Prix Ganay in early May. A tailed-off sixth behind the re-opposing Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) in the G1 Cornation Cup at Epsom in June, Mogul was most recently sixth in a soft-turf renewal of the G3 Prix de Reux at Deauville

“A few things haven't gone quite right for him through the summer, so he's been lightly raced,” jockey Ryan Moore told the HKJC's Steve Moran. “His work's been good at home and he looks great. We know he likes Sha Tin and he likes quick ground. I believe Aidan's very happy with him, so we're hoping that he can step back in the right direction.”

Pyledriver reminds one of the aforementioned Exultant, a staying type that is able to race handy, then finish off his races strongly. He was a beaten horse in the Coronation Cup in his second start this preparation, only to claw his way back underneath favoured Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Sidelined off that effort, the blaze-faced bay resumed in the Listed Churchill S. over the Lingfield all-weather while on trial for this race Nov. 13 and made an early move to the front before sticking on bravely to score by a half-length.

“It was a blow that Pyledriver missed the summer with a muscle problem, but sometimes things happen for a reason and maybe the best is yet to come,” jockey Martin Dwyer, who won the 2004 Vase with Phoenix Reach (Ire) (Alhaarth {Ire}), told HKJC writer Graham Cunningham.

Glory Vase (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is also in search of a second Vase, having been ridden to perfection by Joao Moreira two years ago. Only lightly raced for a 6-year-old with 16 starts under his belt, the handsome dark bay was a running-on second to compatriot Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 FWD QE II Cup (2000m) in April and has one start since, a third in the G2 Sankei Sho All Comers S. Sept. 26 in which he first made a run from near the tail to be up with the leaders while wide on the final bend and fought on to finish third. He's got the 'Magic Man' back in the irons, hasn't had to travel as far as his chief rivals and should be in the finish.

 

Champion S. Form on Display in the Cup…

Sunday's richest race is the 2000-metre G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup, its HK$30 million pot making it the richest race in the world at the graded/group level on turf over the distance (the Mile and the Sprint can boast the same).

No European shipper has managed a victory in the Cup since Moore rode Snow Fairy (Ire) (Intikhab) for Ed Dunlop in 2010. She was coincidentally the last 3-year-old to defeat her elders in the race, and a trio of raiders from that age group will start as outsiders Sunday. Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) and Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) made their respective last appearances in the G1 QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot Oct. 16, with the former charging home into second while 1 1/2 lengths clear of a slightly hampered Mac Swiney in third. Dubai Honour earned his way into Champions Day by virtue of fast-finishing scores in the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville and the G2 Prix Dollar at a very soggy ParisLongchamp on Arc weekend Oct. 2. The faster underfoot conditions are of concern to his trainer.

“My fear, and I think it's [jockey] Tom [Marquand]'s fear, is the ground,” William Haggas told the HKJC's Darryl Timms. “Although he ran on and won at Newmarket on fast ground in July, he has run his best three races on soft ground. I never thought he had to have soft ground, but it's maybe that he does.”

Mac Swiney hails from the Jim Bolger yard, successful in 2004 with 3-year-old filly Alexander Goldrun (Ire) (Gold Away {Ire}), who was ridden to victory by the colt's jockey Kevin Manning.

Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), this year's GI Belmont Derby hero, rounds out the 3-year-old trio and exits a sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, but would need a giant step forward here.

Japan's Loves Only You is already a winner over Sunday's course and distance, having scooped the aforementioned QE II Cup in style this past April. Previously third in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, she was second to top Japanese 3-year-old filly Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune) in the G2 Sapporo Kinen ahead of her history-making success in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar last month and did the bulk of her training at the Southern California track. She looms the one to beat, while Lei Papale (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who defeated recent G1 Japan Cup hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Osaka Hai in easy ground she quite enjoyed in April, will have her backers and should be handy to the pace.

Panfield (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky), whose Hong Kong Group 1 success came in last year's Champions & Chater Cup over an additional 400 metres, attacked the line when third in the 2021 BMW Hong Kong Derby going this trip and was the surprise winner first-up of the G3 Sha Tin Trophy H. over a mile Oct. 17. He can be forgiven for his seventh-place effort in a falsely run G2 Jockey Club Cup Nov. 21 and can factor on his best.

 

 

Golden Sixty Looking To Double Up in Mile…

With a successful defence of his title in Sunday' G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) would surpass two legends of the Hong Kong turf–Silent Witness (Aus) and Beauty Generation (NZ)–as the winningest horse in Hong Kong history with 19 victories. The Francis Lui trainee would also be taking his current winning streak to 16, which would take him to within one of Silent Witness's 17 on the bounce, a sequence that included the Hong Kong Sprint in 2003 and 2004. Golden Sixty swerved the early-season handicap group races, in which he'd have carried top weight, in favour of a single prep and he did what he had to do in the Nov. 21 G2 Jockey Club Mile, laying off a very slow pace before rattling off wicked closing sectionals, as is his custom.

“We are very happy with him, he came out of that first run very well–in that race over the first 800 [metres] the pace was very slow, that gave the other horses a little trouble, but Golden Sixty, he just has a very good turn of foot now–he knows where the finish is,” trainer Francis Lui told HKJC's Declan Schuster.

The Mile trophy has gone back to Japan twice in the last six runnings (Maurice {Jpn}, 2015; Admire Mars {Jpn}), 2019) and that country fields four of the 11 runners in Sunday's renewal. Of those, two are winners of the G1 Yasuda Kinen–Danon Kingly (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who was a bit fortunate to best Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Tokyo feature this past June and who was runner-up in the G2 Mainichi Okan Oct. 10; and Indy Champ (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}), who took the 2019 Yasuda Kinen, was seventh to Admire Mars in this two years ago and was a close fourth to Gran Alegria in the G1 Mile Championship Nov. 21. Salios (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), a Group 1 winner at two, has form through Contrail and was a tugging sixth in the Mile Championship, while Vin de Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will be the least-fancied of the quartet.

Longshot players might have a look at Excellent Proposal (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), winner of the Hong Kong Classic Mile last season and desperately unlucky not to win a Class 1 handicap prep over track and trip a fortnight ago.

Reigning G1 1000 Guineas heroine Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) added the G1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville over the summer, but would need to go to a new level to factor here.

 

 

Several Chances in the Sprint…

Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) overcame a horror draw in stall 14 to post a 21-1 upset in last year's G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint, but it may be his fellow raiders that prove toughest to beat as he swansongs Sunday afternoon.

Pixie Knight (Jpn) is a son of Horse of the Year Maurice (Jpn), who sandwiched a victory in the 2016 G1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin between International Races glory in the Mile in 2015 and the Cup to close out his career in 2016. A Group 3 winner over a mile at the beginning of this year, Pixie Knight failed to land a blow in two subsequent appearances at the distance, including a 12th in the G1 NHK Mile Cup in May. He has been a different proposition altogether since returning to sprint trips, missing by a neck to Resistencia (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) in the G2 Centaur S. Sept. 12 before reversing form with a decisive, albeit perfect-trip victory in the G1 Sprinters' S. at Nakayama Oct. 3. Danon Smash used a runner-up effort in the same event as a stepping-stone to his score here 12 months ago. No 3-year-old has ever won the Sprint.

Winner of the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies over the mile in 2019, Resistencia is another to have blossomed at shorter trips. Also second to Danon Smash in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen last March, the Carrot Farm runner is versatile in her running style, but seems best suited as an on-pace runner.

Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) might prove most appealing to value shoppers. Victorious in the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize last April, he missed an October prep and raced first-up in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint Nov. 21, appearing to run out of condition at the 200 metres before finishing seventh to the progressive Lucky Patch (NZ) (El Roca {Aus}). He is primed to go a much better race second off the layoff.

The hulking Naboo Attack (Aus) (Warhead {Aus}), Hong Kong's biggest horse at 1366 pounds, ran home nicely to snatch second money in the Jockey Club Sprint, but loses leading rider Zac Purton to Lucky Patch, while Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}), twice a beaten favourite in this race, makes his fourth appearance in it for one last shot at glory at age seven.

 

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Favourites Handed Low-Stress Draws for Longines HKIR

A total of 43 horses representing Hong Kong, England, Ireland, France and Japan were entered for Sunday's HK$100 million Longines Hong Kong International Meeting at Sha Tin Racecourse, and the luck of the barrier draw–held Thursday morning in the parade ride at the track–was much in favour of the horses that are anticipated to be at the head of the markets in the four events.

For a horse like reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), who likes to get back and then put his rivals to the sword with a devastating finish, the barrier draw is something of a non-issue. Having drawn seven last year en route to a facile success, his chances were done no harm whatsoever when owner Stanley Chan selected gate two for Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile.

“Barrier two is OK–we'll just relax him and wait for the straight, and then we can just let him go,” trainer Francis Lui told the HKJC's Declan Schuster. “He is all ready and we're hoping that luck will come to my team and my owner–and to me too.”

 

 

Similarly, with the gates positioned towards the top of the Sha Tin straight for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m) and with a long run into the first turn, post positions–especially in a compact field–also become less relevant. Defending champion Mogul (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will have no excuses from gate two, one to the outside of one of the likely pacesetters Reliable Team (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}), while G1 Coral Coronation Cup hero Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) begins outside that pair in stall three.

Japan's record-making Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Lei Papale (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) figure to be strong in the market for the day's richest event, the HK$30 million G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m). Having drawn four and three, respectively, neither should have much difficulty securing a trip that suits their running styles. The form of the G1 QIPCO Champion S. is represented by Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}, gate seven), beaten 3/4 of a length in back of Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) and 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) in third. The latter was assigned post position two, while local hope Panfield (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky) has pole position coming off a disappointing effort in the G2 Jockey Club Cup three weeks ago.

“It's a lovely draw, it gives you options and we're certainly very happy with it, there's a lot worse draws than that–I couldn't be happier,” trainer Tony Millard said of last year's G1 Champions & Chater Cup hero, also a multiple Group 1 winner in his native Chile. “He's been good since that last run, frankly speaking that last run, it was one of those races that you want to forget and we're just looking forward.”

Pixie Knight (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) could go favoured in a wide-open renewal of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint, and will break from post position eight to try to make it two in a row for Japan. Defending champion Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) doesn't appear to be in the same sort of form and will leave gate 10 after winning from the riverside draw in 14 last year. Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) has a chance to go a good race second-up, having finished seventh to Lucky Patch (NZ) (El Roca {Aus}) in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint Nov. 21, but he will have to work out a trip of his own from stall 11.

“In the Sprint you want some draw assistance and we didn't get the draw assistance, but last year's winner was drawn 14 and if [Wellington] is good enough, that's where he comes from,” trainer Richard Gibson told the HKJC's Leo Schlink. “I think he's sharper than he was [last time] and he trialled really well the other day, so he's in good shape.”

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