With the glamour and the glory of one major race day still fresh in the memory, thoughts are already turning to the Four-Year-Old Classic Series in the early part of 2019 and Hong Kong’s next crop of potential stars.
Derby fever, the “BMW Hong Kong” strain, is threatening to take hold with Sunday’s (16 December) 11-race card at Sha Tin featuring a number of classic candidates. The Class 2 Lookfook Jewellery Cup Handicap (1400m) is the standout in that regard with high-profile imports Gold Chest, King Of Hearts, Furore and Heavenly Thought slated to debut.
But those expensively assembled hopefuls face a fiery Hong Kong baptism against some talented elders, including the John Size-trained Conte, himself a potential star still on the rise.
“Conte’s last start, first up for a long time, was fine, so we’re still expecting more from him,” said Size, wrapped-up against a chilly breeze at Sha Tin this morning (Friday, 14 December).
Conte won his first five starts in Hong Kong, between November last year and February of this. Size gave the Starcraft gelding a break before returning with a big third in June, behind the ill-fated talent Win Beauty Win – Conte raced three wide throughout under top-weight against that lightly-weighted rival.
Size has taken things steadily with the five-year-old since then and he returned last month with another notable effort, rolling forward from the wide gate, travelling on the speed and just failing to hold Rattan’s late rattle.
“He’s fine, I haven’t rushed him this season but he didn’t need that,” Size said. “He’s already won five races and he’s got to come up to the class but I think he’s ready for it – he’s had the time and I think he’s ready to go. I’m not concerned about him, he doesn’t have any problems.
“He’s always been genuine, he’s always run good races,” he continued, “you can surprisingly find something wrong but my expectation is that everything is ok. He’s won five out of seven so we can’t hold him back yet, we can’t be doubting him just at the moment.”
And on future plans for the Australian-bred, Size added with a smile: “I want to win this race, that’s my plan?”
The future is everything to the Four-Year-Old Classic Series wannabes. Sums with plenty of noughts at the end have been bandied around, yet a big cheque cannot guarantee success on the tough Hong Kong circuit, as many a high-class three-year-old import has proven in the past.
There have been plenty of good ones too, though, the 2013 Classic Series race winners Akeed Mofeed (Hong Kong Derby) and Gold-Fun (Hong Kong Classic Mile) among them. Those two G1 winners sported the colours of Pan Sutong and prevailed under the expert watch of Richard Gibson, and that same partnership is looking to Gold Chest on Sunday.
The War Front gelding won both of his starts in England as Naval Intelligence and is a full-brother to US G1 winner Fog Of War. French rider Alexis Badel has ridden the bay in two trials and will take the reins at the weekend.
“He’s a talented horse and he’s a lovely ride. He doesn’t do too much in the morning so I cannot wait to see how he runs at Sha Tin on Sunday,” he said.
“The (all-weather) trial was good and I’m sure he’s better on the turf, he looks like he will enjoy good going.”
Trainer Frankie Lor, backing up at Sha Tin off a G1 brace with Glorious Forever and Mr Stunning at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, has two high-profile Australian imports in the line up: Furore was third in the G1 Rosehill Guineas, while Heavenly Thought took second in the G1 Queensland Derby.
And there is Royal Ascot form on show as well. King Of Hearts reeled off five wins for trainer William Haggas – when named Society Power – before placing second to subsequent G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Expert Eye in the G3 Jersey Stakes.
Tony Cruz now has charge of the Society Rock gelding and Karis Teetan will aim to make use of knowledge gained in a barrier trial last month.
“He comes here with a bit of form and I think there’s something to work on. He has that quality and he’s definitely going to improve,” the Mauritian ace said.
“He’ll need a little bit of ground here. There wasn’t much speed in his first trial, when I rode him, and Tony wanted him to do a little bit of work so when he came out of the gate there wasn’t much speed and I needed him to get some pressure. He had one more trial after that (under Matthew Chadwick) and he seemed to be finishing off strongly.”
Another old-timer aiming to hold the young guns at bay in the 13-strong feature is the Tony Millard-trained World Record, a six-year-old who is two from three this term.
“I was surprised he even went into Class 2,” Millard said. “It’s a very competitive race and there are some multi-million dollar horses in there – I’m talking US and Aussie dollars. There’ll be big expectations about them but our horse is fit and well.”
And if World Record succeeds, Millard will have bagged his 600th Hong Kong win.
Sunday’s action starts at 12.30pm (3:30pm AEDT) with the Lukfook Jewellery Stellar And Stellar Collection Handicap (2200m) and concludes at 5.50pm (8:50pm AEDT) with the Class 3 Lukfook Jewellery Beloved Collection Handicap (1400m).
– News from Hong Kong Jockey Club
