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Welcome to our Hong Kong International Day Special.
This section contains news, work notes, race by race previews, selections and betting plans to the four championship events at Sha Tin on December 10:
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| Hong Kong Vase: No Ouija, no joy... |
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Sha Tin Sunday: The Hong Kong Jockey Club has been so unfortunate this year. First, Fast Parade dropped out of the Sprint, a race that may lose its short priced future favourite Takeover Target also. The Sprint head earlier lost the Ascot winner Red Clubs. Well, one might have thought, we still have Ouija Board.... Not anymore we don’t. Lameness has forced the wonder mare out of the Hong Kong Vase (G1), and the first of four championship races thus lost much of its gloss. Still, if you hit the exacta, never mind the tri, in this contest now – you will probably get a nice return. This is a difficult race to weigh up, and the pace scenario will be so crucial.
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| Hong Kong Mile: Anyone of eight can win |
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Sha Tin Sunday: No fewer than eight of the 14 runners are within five pounds on Globeform ratings in the Hong Kong Mile (G1). That equals 2 ½ lengths over this distance. Factors like post position, a good start, a clear run, and perfect timing, will all be so important in this event. This race can easily produce the upset of the day.
Bullish Luck, an old favourite with the local fans, has a chance if her reproduces his best. Others high on our ranking are the Japanese mare Dance In The Mood, the Irish contender Mustameet and also Ramonti, a fast improving Italian.
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| Hong Kong Cup: It’s a rematch! |
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Sha Tin Sunday: They meet again, twelve months after Vengeance Of Rain was a winning favourite over Pride in the Hong Kong Cup (G1). This time, the French trained mare may start favourite, as she has beaten the boys in the Champion Stakes (G1) in England and also been a close second in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) in France. Home advantage is home advantage, however, and many will side with Vengeance once more.
Are we looking at a stone cold exacta in the Cup? Perhaps. The big two certainly stand out when the analysis has been completed – though our ratings tell us not to dismiss the French filly Satwa Queen, the Japanese colt Admire Moon and the Irish mare Alexander Goldrun - who won this event two years ago.
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| Hong Kong Sprint: Will he run? |
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Sha Tin Sunday: The big question is, will the heavy favourite Takeover Target take part in the Hong Kong Sprint (G1). If his Sunday morning test is all clear, he will. If it shows irregularities, he will be withdrawn. Let’s hope for the best here, as Takeover Target is the star in this field. One can go so far as to say he is the only legitimate Group One performer in the race. That may sound harsh, but truth be told; none of these sprinters will be rememberd in tren years’ time.
Unless, of course, one of them runs out a daylight winner . That would be a pleasant surprise, though unlikely - and we have picked a nice longshot.
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| HK Vase: Ouija Board is out |
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Ouija Board, favourite for the Hong kong Vase (G1) is has been scratched from the big race and retired.
The HKJC Veterinary Officer informed the Stewards that when Ouija Board was examined this morning during the routine per-race veterinary examination, some soreness was noted in the horse's left front leg. She was found to be lame and trainer Ed Dunlop declared her out of the race today. Her third place finish in the Japan Cup (G1) thus became her last start, in a career of 22 starts, giving 10 wins, including Classic success in England and Ireland and two wins in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).
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