An unusual weekend ahead with no racing at all in Hong Kong as it rests on its laurels after successful participation at the Dubai World Cup meeting albeit with a win and Aerovelocity beating the Japanese in their own backyard in Nagoya.
Zac Purton and Joao Moreira are using the vacant weekend to play a part at The Championships in Sydney but both will be back for Sha Tin on Tuesday, when Able Friend will be Moreira’s prize mount.
Hong Kong’s best – some might argue the world’s best – returns in the Group Two Chairman’s Trophy, with the usual suspects arrayed against him, and it should be another cake walk over his favourite 1,600m. Having Able Friend is a two-edged sword for the Jockey Club, which is having trouble attracting foreign interest for the Champions Mile coming up in May. Even connections of impressive Dubai Turf winner, Solow, said they were not keen to meet Able Friend on home turf and the next time he is challenged might be Royal Ascot.
The other Easter feature is the Bauhinia Sprint and it shows the depth of Hong Kong sprint talent. Even with seven top sprinters in Dubai and Japan last weekend, there is still a full field of 14 quality speedsters for this Group Three down the straight. There are some interesting angles to it, with the returns from injury of promising Rad and Divine Ten and the debut of former Australian galloper Not Listenin’tome.
The other potential highlight could be provided by the Magic Man. The Moreira train has slowed since he hit 90 wins for the season on March 15 and, stuck in the nervous nineties, he has won only six races since but is ready to explode again and register the fastest 100-win season ever.
By Nathan Mody
