The Domestic Group Racing Will Wind Up At Sha Tin On Sunday

Group racing at home comes an end at Sha Tin on Sunday but Hong Kong eyes will also be on Royal Ascot this weekend with the ultra consistent sprinter Gold-Fun looking to fly the flag in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

There are small queries on Gold-Fun over a straight course as he has never tried it before and there is the fact that he is no spring chicken these days either but trainer Richard Gibson has always been confident that the gelding would handle it and he would not be put off if the ground was soft either.

He looks to have a solid each way chance in the race, and a win would lift an otherwise disappointing international year for Hong Kong horses, which has seen them held in Dubai and Japan and beaten at home in five out of seven major internationals.

The domestic Group races will wind up with the Group 3 Premier Plate over 1800m, which has been moved from its usual date in March, and the Premier Cup over 1400m.

John Moore-trained Helene Paragon will be the Plate favourite for Joao Moreira after having excuses when he was well beaten last start, although it’s interesting that he goes back to 1,800m after Moore insisted in the press recently that the horse is really a miler. Maybe that opens the door for the opposition and Secret Weapon will have his admirers to give Douglas Whyte the win.

Moreira will ride the likely favourite in the Cup, too, with John Size handling Sun Jewellery identically to Contentment last season to run in this race.

After his Derby run, Contentment had a three month break, returning on this day to win a Class 2 mile race and Sun Jewellery also has been off the scene since the Derby but resumes over his favourite course and distance and getting quite a few pounds off the Group One -winning top weights.

By Nathan Mody

Share this article