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Rising stars do battle over Hong Kong mile
Jan 22 2010
The international racing year moves up a cog this weekend, with the running of Group 1 races from New Zealand, South Africa and Hong Kong.
While it’s speed racing at its best on Saturday – the Telegraph Handicap from Trentham and the Cape Flying Championship from Kenilworth – the Hong Kong Classic Mile features the best of that country’s emerging talent and the new challengers to the great Good Ba Ba.
Former Kiwi Beauty Flash, who became a sensation in the second half of 2009 with five wins from six Hong Kong starts, will be the measuring stick for the capacity field of 14 four-year-olds. Beauty Flash is a last-start winner of the London Handicap on Hong Kong International Day, beating several of his Classic Mile opponents in what has become a strong form race.
The Tony Cruz-trained gelding will face some strong opposition from proven performer Tuscan Spirit and promising types Super Pistachio, Chater Away, Able Speed, Cerise Cherry, Beauty Legend and the David Hall-trained Algarve.
Super Pistachio, a stablemate to the likely favourite, looms as the intriguing runner. Formerly known as Westphalia when trained by Aidan O’Brien in Ireland, the colt is a Group 2 winner at Doncaster and has been placed four times at the highest level in the US and France – most notably when a close second to Donativum in the Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita in October 2008. The son of Danehill Dancer looked in need of the run when beaten just under six lengths over the Sha Tin 1400m in December and will strip a lot fitter for the run.
Cerise Cherry also brings strong overseas form into the race. The colt only won two of his 14 runs when trained in South Africa but he ran second three times at Group 1 level, the latest to Forest Path in the South African Classic last March.
The Group 1 Hong Kong Classic Mile holds enormous interest, not only with a view to the future stars but also to gauge the strength of the overseas form. Sky Racing will provide a live coverage of Sha Tin racing this Sunday afternoon and the NSW and Victorian TABs will wager on the program.
By Shane McNally
- Shane McNally
All times quoted on this web site are based on scheduled race start times.
Sky endeavours to provide correct and up-to-date data, though it is possible to encounter inaccuracies throughout the day due to unforeseen delays at the track.
