To lead or not to lead?

That is one key question facing connections of Glorious Forever ahead of Sunday’s (17 February) G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup but equally important is whether Frankie Lor’s gelding is back in peak form as he tries to join a select club who have captured two of Hong Kong’s flagship 2000m contests in the same season.

Designs On Rome won the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup in December 2014 before landing Sunday’s prize the following spring, while Glorious Forever’s full brother Time Warp completed the same famous double last year and in doing so became the first horse ever to break the two-minute barrier over 2000m at Sha Tin.

Glorious Forever has emulated his older sibling in many ways in Hong Kong – not least in a capacity to follow a big win with a jarring loss – but Lor is confident his five-year-old is back in the shape that saw him make every yard to beat star Japanese filly Deirdre and Time Warp in a thrilling Hong Kong Cup 10 weeks ago.

“Yes, I do think that he is back to his best form,” the trainer said. “This is another tough race but he has shown me he is strong again in the mornings and that is a good sign.”

Glorious Forever’s record tells the tale of a horse who can be devastating when his energy is rationed smoothly and dull when too much fuel is burned early on. And, while the suggestion that Glorious Forever needs to dominate is widely held, it hardly squares with the fact that he settled in third before running the fastest 2000m in Sha Tin history last summer.

Silvestre de Sousa dictated when Glorious Forever won the Hong Kong Cup; but old frailties resurfaced when he pressed a frenetic pace and finished well-beaten behind Exultant in the G3 Centenary Vase (1800m) three weeks ago.

With trainer Tony Cruz leaving no room for doubt that Time Warp will be rolling forward from stall 10 under Vincent Ho, Lor seems content to concede the early lead in the hope his charge can race in whatever position De Sousa finds most comfortable.

“This time we have a better draw in five and that gives us choices,” Lor said. “I don’t want to go head to head with Time Warp – that does not work – but Glorious Forever has won from off the pace and I think we learned something in his trial last week.”

Glorious Forever was restrained behind very smart rivals headed by Beat The Clock and Lor’s fellow Hong Kong Gold Cup contender Simply Brilliant in that barrier trial but relaxed in a manner which persuades Lor he is becoming more versatile.

“In the trial Silvestre taught him a lesson,” he said. “He jumped well but then sat behind horses, so I think he is getting older and smarter and more relaxed as well.

“I think that Exultant is the big danger but I’m happy with my horse and so is Silvestre,” he added.

Exultant won the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) and his big-race rider Zac Purton stressed the importance of racing evenly as he reflected on his three wins from three attempts aboard Glorious Forever and also touched on the differences that moving back up to Sha Tin’s two-turn 2000m track could make.

“If (Glorious Forever) races fiercely in behind then he’s going to find it tough at this level but he was obviously very good in December,” he said. “There was a lot of pressure on the leaders last time, so it was no surprise that he weakened, but this is a completely different race.

“If you jump well over the 2000m and get around that first corner cheaply then there’s only a mile to go – and if the leaders get a soft time it can be very hard to catch them.”

And therein lies the fascinating riddle of this year’s Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup. Purton wants a strong pace for Exultant and stablemate Time Warp may well provide it.

Meanwhile, Lor is simply looking for Glorious Forever to run the race that suits him best.

Millard has ambitious plans

Seven years have passed since the mighty Ambitious Dragon gave Tony Millard a taste of Gold Cup glory by forging clear under Douglas Whyte but the South African’s appetite for top-level success remains keen and he launches a two-pronged attack on Sunday’s HK$10 million prize with Singapore Sling and Northern Superstar.

Singapore Sling has Grant Van Niekerk aboard for the first time on the back of a respectable fifth in the Centenary Vase, while Karis Teetan partners Northern Superstar on his return to 2000m after a one-paced fifth at a mile in the G1 Stewards’ Cup.

“They’re both still relatively fresh compared to some of these other horses,” Millard said. “I think both of them will go strong to the end of the season now whereas some others might not.

“Singapore Sling beat Exultant in the Derby last year (when the pair finished second and third) so there shouldn’t be a reason, if he’s on top form, why he can’t beat him again.

“Northern Superstar ran very well in the Stewards’ Cup and he’s a 2000m horse. Anything can happen in this race. Everyone’s waiting to see if Pakistan Star will come good but we might be waiting the whole season.”