LONGINES Hong Kong Cup
GLORIOUS FOREVER – HK
Trainer Frankie Lor said: “He looks good. He’s a happy horse. We won’t go head to head again with Time Warp. We’ll just let him lead and take the trail.”
STAPHANOS – JPN
Warmed up on the Quarantine Stables trotting track then cantered a lap on the all-weather track.
Trainer Hideaki Fujiwara said: “He seems very relaxed and in great condition. He is a veteran at coming to Hong Kong, he seems to know exactly what is going on.”
SUNGRAZER – JPN
Warmed up on the Quarantine Stables trotting track then cantered a lap and a half on the all-weather.
Assistant trainer Keiichi Asami said: “He is fit and race-ready.”
DEIRDRE – JPN
Did a piece of work on the all-weather track for one and a half laps, winding to a gallop in the stretch under work rider Yuta Komiyama.
Komiyama said: “As I walked on the turf course, it was quite hard. We need more rain. She is pretty fit, in better condition than she was in Dubai, which is a very good thing.”
LONGINES Hong Kong Mile
BEAT THE BANK – GB
Was again quite frisky as he breezed around the all-weather track.
Anna-Lisa Balding, wife of trainer Andrew Balding, said: “He again whipped round this morning but as I said yesterday if he didn’t do something like that there would probably be something wrong. Anyhow his general condition is very good.”
INNS OF COURT – FR
Cantered two easy laps, quickening a little in the straight second time.
Elisabeth Fabre, wife of trainer Andre Fabre, said: “He’s really well and has been a little unlucky to date but he is always there at the finish. He is drawn well, while the turf in Hong Kong is always perfect and suits everyone.”
MOZU ASCOT – JPN
Warmed up on the Quarantine trotting track then cantered a lap and a half on the all-weather track.
Trainer Yoshito Yahagi said: “We pushed him a bit today so he knows he has a race tomorrow. He changed leads smoothly and I think he is primed for tomorrow.”
NOTHINGILIKEMORE – HK
Trainer John Size said: “Nothingilikemore has won a domestic Group 1 at this track and distance so has some sort of record to speak of. He’s a little bit horse shy so if he draws a wide gate he’d probably run a lot better.” (Nothingilikemore drew 11.)
ONE MASTER – GB
Came out on to the all-weather for a gentle lap of the track under regular rider Alex Badri, following her turf work yesterday.
Trainer William Haggas said: “Everything has gone well this week. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
PERSIAN KNIGHT – JPN
Warmed up in the trotting ring at the Quarantine Stable and stretched his legs for one lap on the all-weather track.
Work rider Yuki Iwasaki said: “He has been in good order. He goes into the race a fit horse.”
VIVLOS – JPN
Warmed up on the Quarantine Stables trotting track then cantered a lap on the all-weather track.
Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi: “She is relaxed and focused. Just the way I want her.”
WHAT ELSE BUT YOU – HK
Trainer John Size said: “He’s had two runs back, he’s quite sound and healthy and strong. He certainly appreciates any rain affected ground so he’d welcome some rain. I’d say he’s entitled to have some sort of chance.”
LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint
BEAT THE CLOCK – HK
Trainer John Size said: “He gets back a bit in his races, he’s not a speed horse but he can run the quickest final section of any of my horses. That’s his weapon, he can run really fast at the end of the race.”
D B PIN – HK
Trainer John Size said: “He was beaten about four lengths first-up (in the Jockey Club Sprint) and he should improve pretty quickly from that.”
FINE NEEDLE – JPN
Cantered for one lap on the all-weather track.
Work rider Yoshinori Unoki said: “He stretched his legs to loosen up and to keep his condition good. Yesterday we weighed him and found he has not lost weight, or rather his condition has to be better than when he ran in the spring and in the Sprinters Stakes. He has great speed and the surface should suit – he can also handle the softer track. Hopefully he will take a position from which he can run his race.”
HOT KING PRAWN – HK
Trainer John Size said: “The progress he has made this season has been quite pleasing. He has managed to come up to the mark in races where he had to improve to win. If they win nine out of ten it means there’s more there so it wouldn’t surprise me if he continued to make further steps.”
IVICTORY – HK
Trainer John Size said: “He hasn’t shown that there’s anything amiss with him, he’s never given that indication this season. The day he won the Group 1 race there was some rain around and this track normally slows down a bit for international day so maybe he appreciates winter tracks or tracks that are not so fast. They forecast some rain so that might give him a chance.”
MR STUNNING – HK
Trainer Frankie Lor said: “He’s done well since his nice trial and I’m happy with him. He’s drawn out but with Hot King Prawn further out, we’ll come across with him.”
LIM’S CRUISER – SIN
Trainer Stephen Gray said: “We were out here at six (am) and he had a walk and trot in the stables before the other horses came out. That’s all he needed. He’s well.”
SIR DANCEALOT – GB
Flexed his muscles for a circuit of the all-weather track on his final HKIR workout.
Trainer David Elsworth said: “He went OK and he’s in the pink. We know he’s got a bit to find with some of them but we’re not just here for the beer and are hoping for a good show.”
LONGINES Hong Kong Vase
CROCOSMIA – JPN
Crocosmia had easy work in the trotting ring this morning as scheduled.
LATROBE – IRE
Latrobe was scheduled to go out on the turf, but trainer Joseph O’Brien kept his horse to the all-weather where he completed his preparations for Sunday with a canter.
LYS GRACIEUX – JPN
Warmed up on the Quarantine Stables trotting track then cantered a lap and a half on the all-weather track.
Trainer Yoshito Yahagi said: “She has already reached the good condition we want so in order to keep her that way we brought her out today. Both horses are race ready.”
RED VERDON – GB
Remained on the all-weather as he has all week, putting in another steady canter to complete his preparations.
RUTHVEN – HK
Trainer Frankie Lor said: “He has improved since his last run and he could run a better race at this trip. I’m still working out how good he is.”
ROSTROPOVICH – IRE
Completed his preparations for Sunday with a routine canter on the all-weather track under regular rider Patrick Gleeson.
Pat Keating, who has been supervising the horse’s training all week in the absence of his trainer Aidan O’Brien, said “That’s it, he’s ready. I don’t know if he can win, but he should go well.”
SALOUEN – GB
Cantered around the all-weather track under the watchful eye of trainer Sylvester Kirk.
Kirk said: “No change in his condition which is really good. The ground will probably be quicker than ideal tomorrow but there’s nothing we can do about that.”
WALDGEIST – FR
Cantered two easy laps, quickening a little in the straight second time.
Elisabeth Fabre, wife of trainer Andre Fabre, said: “It’s pretty late for a horse like him to run in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, run in in the Arc, run in everything. Every time he has so much energy and a huge heart. It’s easy to say it’s late in the year but to me he still seems bright and well.”
