The worries of international week for Australian sprinter Buffering and Hong Kong miler Ambitious Dragon appear to be behind them, the draws have turned up their usual mix of good and bad and all that is left is the running of the Hong Kong internationals for 2014.
Buffering and Ambitious Dragon were both struck down with similar foot abscesses early in the week but, by Thursday, each was back on the track and Buffering in particular declared 100 per cent for the Hong Kong Sprint by trainer Robert Heathcote.
Thursday’s barrier draws didn’t affect the 2,400m Hong Kong Vase, with Flintshire sure to be the clear favourite not only due to his last two seconds in the Breeders’ Cup and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe but his impressive gallop during the week.
For a stayer, Flintshire looked to put in a gallop that would not have been out of place for Lord Kanaloa, the champion sprinter who blew the clockers away with his work before a demolition job on the Sprint field twelve months ago.
The other stars from trackwork this week include Japanese sprinter, Straight Girl, although a wide barrier dented her prospects in the Sprint, and the likely Hong Kong Cup favourite, Designs On Rome.
The draw didn’t look to help Mile favourite Able Friend who has done everything right since winning the Jockey Club Mile lead-up in second gear, although trainer John Moore has avoided galloping the horse strongly and elected instead to keep him on the fresh side. Barrier eleven, the outside of the field, didn’t look perfect however Moore was still giving off an air confidence in a horse he believes to be amongst the very best he has ever trained. His main Sprint contender Sterling City has also fuelled growing stable confidence with some nice workouts since his unlucky last start.
By Nathan Mody
