There are no prizes for guessing where the attention sits this weekend in Hong Kong, as the QE II Cup sees Designs On Rome, Military Attack head the eight local stars meeting runners from Australia, France, Japan and England.
David Hayes took the unusual step of having Military Attack’s rider, Zac Purton, gallop Criterion on Wednesday morning and Purton was impressed. After his comprehensive Queen Elizabeth win in Sydney over Red Cadeaux, who also lines up on Sunday, Criterion looks the best visiting runner.
Japan’s Staphanos has been reported in some media as not having eaten since he arrived, and he has been sparingly worked, although the Jockey Club’s official reports have painted a rosier picture.
France’s Smoking Sun, second in Singapore last year, has been a lunatic in the mornings, jacking up on and around the training track but this is reported as his usual behaviour.
Local punters will keep the faith and make the Designs On Rome the betting favourite ahead of the horse he beat in the race last year, Military Attack, who in turn won it the year before.
Trainer John Moore said Designs On Rome was flat returning from Dubai but Joao Moreira’s reports on his work have been growing progressively better and Moore says the five-year-old will be close to his best.
Caspar Fownes has had niggling issues with Military Attack all season but he has trialled well and there has rarely been much between the two favourites – a neck in the 2014 QE II and even less in the Hong Kong Cup in December with Criterion third.
The race overshadows a very good Group Two Sprint Cup, a springboard to success in Singapore and at Royal Ascot in the past. Lucky Nine and Golden Harvest are hoping for the former while Gold-Fun goes to Royal Ascot if he holds his form from winning the Chairman’s Sprint last month.
By Nathan Mody
