Irish supermare Magical, exciting Everest winner Classique Legend and Golden Sixty, the new star of Hong Kong racing, head a stellar line-up of 45 horses, including 17 G1 scorers and a Breeders’ Cup winner, selected for the HK$95 million Longines Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on Sunday, December 13.
While the pandemic has created uncertainty around many international racing events, the strength of the international presence in this year’s entries confirms that the Sha Tin showpiece remains high on the agenda of international horsemen.
The HKIR is the sport’s global year-end spectacular and features the HK$28 million G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m), the HK$25 million G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, the HK$22 million G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) and the HK$20 million G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m). The Cup, Mile and Sprint are the world’s richest G1 races on turf over their respective distances.
Magical is one of five in a powerful cohort from Aidan O’Brien, and victory in the Hong Kong Cup would set her apart from fellow O’Brien-trained seven-time G1-winning champions Rock Of Gibraltar, Minding, Yeats and Highland Reel as the Irish handler’s most prolific winner at the top-level.
Also among O’Brien’s Ballydoyle brigade is G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Order Of Australia. Four-time G1 placegetter Lope Y Fernandez, who was third in that BC race at Keeneland, also heads for the Hong Kong Mile, while this year’s Irish 1000 Guineas ) winner Peaceful takes to the Cup. G1 Grand Prix de Paris (2400m) winner Mogul has the Vase on his agenda and victory would give O’Brien a record-setting third win in the race following the heroics of Highland Reel (2015 and 2017).
A strong Hong Kong team is headed by Golden Sixty, whose G2 Jockey Club Mile success on Sunday (22 November) made him only the fourth horse in Hong Kong history to win ten consecutive races (after Silent Witness, Beauty Generation and Co-Tack). Hong Kong’s reigning Horse of the Year Exultant and dual previous Horse of the Year Beauty Generation bolster local hopes as they bid for their second and third respective wins in the Vase and the Mile.
Another HK star, Hot King Prawn, will face off with fellow grey Classique Legend, who arrives in Hong Kong ranked world #28 in the TRC rankings, second only to Battaash (#14) among sprinters. He has joined the Caspar Fownes yard after an impressive conquest against seven individual G1 winners in the The Everest (1200m) at Randwick in Australia.
Notable contenders
CUP
Magical (trained in Ireland)
Aidan O’Brien’s globetrotting seven-time G1 winner is world-ranked 6 in the TRC standings.
Skalleti (France)
Top-class French performer who beat subsequent Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass in a G3 at Deauville; last out second in G1 Qipco British Champion Stakes. World #46 in TRC rankings.
Danon Premium (Japan)
G1 winner at two; runner-up to Almond Eye in last year’s G1 Tenno Sho Autumn; also campaign to Australia for third in G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Win Bright (Japan)
Claimed Spring-Autumn G1 double to remain unbeaten at Sha Tin with FWD QEII Cup and this race last year; returns for one last crack before possible retirement.
Furore (HK)
2019 BMW Hong Kong Derby hero who has returned to best with two Pattern wins this season, G3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse and G2 Jockey Club Cup, twice beating Exultant.
Peaceful (Ireland)
2020 Irish 1000 Guineas winner for Aidan O’Brien; well beaten last two runs, including 11th in Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf
MILE
Beauty Generation (HK)
Dual Hong Kong Mile winner who set the record for earnings in Hong Kong with HK$100 million netted; eight-time G1 winner. World-ranked 19 in TRC standings.
Order Of Australia (Ireland)
Lightly raced Aidan O’Brien-trained G1 winner with three wins from eight starts; latest surprised in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at 73/1.
Golden Sixty (HK)
Hong Kong’s rising star who has only tasted defeat once; swept Four-Year-Old Classic Series last season; won last ten races, including G3 Celebration Cup, G2 Sha Tin Trophy and G2 Jockey Club Mile.
Admire Mars (Japan)
Three-time G1 winner who succeeded in last year’s Hong Kong Mile; last out grabbed third to Gran Alegria in G1 Mile Championship.
Lope Y Fernandez (Ireland)
Solid contender from the Ballydoyle brigade who has placed at G1 level four times; latest third to Order Of Australia in Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland.
Romanised (Ireland)
G1 winner in France and Ireland; won Irish 2000 Guineas; also two-time G2 winner in Ireland at the Curragh.
SPRINT
Classique Legend (Hong Kong)
The Everest victor who beat seven individual G1 winners; a dual G2 winner in Australia who will race first-up for Caspar Fownes in the Sprint.
Hot King Prawn (Hong Kong)
Dual G2 Jockey Club Sprint winner who has placed three times at G1 level, including a neck defeat in last year’s Sprint.
Danon Smash (Japan)
Finished second to Gran Alegria last start in the G1 Sprinters Stakes; dual G2 winner and four-time G3 winner prior to that.
Inferno (Singapore)
Singapore speedster who is a dual SIN G1 winner, latest took the Lion City Cup easily and prior, stretched to a mile to win the Singapore Guineas; won of eight of nine starts.
VASE
Mogul (Ireland)
G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner ahead of subsequent Arc second In Swoop; tough O’Brien-trained stayer. Fifth in BC Turf at Keeneland.
Exultant (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong Horse of the Year (2019/20) with five G1s to his name, including this race two years ago.
Royal Julius (France)
G2 winner in Italy who claimed the 2019 Bahrain International Trophy.