Hong Kong preview \ Anne Marie Duff
French-trained Goliath aims to step up again
SHA Tin hosts a day of international horse racing tomorrow morning with horses from six racing jurisdictions around the world competing in three Group 1 races, the six-furlong Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (7.50am), Group 1 Champions Mile (9.00am) and Group 1 QEII Cup (9.40am) over 10 furlongs.
The home team face competitors from Australia, Bahrain, France, Japan and New Zealand. Softer going conditions are expected.
European interest is provided by French-trained star Goliath, who will have to navigate a much wider berth in stall nine.
The five-year-old is chasing a second Group 1 success after victory in last July’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. It’s his first run since he was sixth to Do Deuce in the Japan Cup last December.
Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard told media: “The idea to go to Japan was to find a strong pace. We were stuck on the rail, drawn in one, and everything went against him but he still managed to run decently.
“It was the plan to drop him back in distance here for the beginning of the season. When he has pace, he’s a very impressive horse. When things go his way during a race, as everybody saw in the King George, he’s an amazing horse.”
Japanese horses have an excellent record and connections of Prognosis were satisfied after drawing gate six for the seven-year-old, who finished runner-up to Romantic Warrior in 2023 and 2024.
Liberty Island has threatened to land a big prize and has valuable Sha Tin experience, having run second to Romantic Warrior in December’s Group 1 Hong Kong Cup over the course and distance.
She drew the widest stall in 11, but a late run could see her involved. Tastiera finished behind the mare in third when last seen in that Hong Kong Cup.
Australia provides the overseas attraction in the Group 1 FWD Champions Mile with Craig Williams on the popular Mr Brightside for Ben, Will and JD Hayes and Royal Patronage for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Home defender Voyage Bubble is on a five-timer and is the one to beat off two Group 1 wins, though he is drawn wide in 10 for James McDonald. Beauty Eternal attempts consecutive wins in the race.
The Chairman’s Sprint Prize with 13 runners over the six furlongs has superstar sprinter, Ka Ying Rising, aiming for a 12th consecutive victory.
The world’s highest-rated sprinter drew well in stall four, and his trainer David Hayes has reported him in the best form he has been in all year.
Japan has four contenders in the race and may provide the main opposition headed by Satono Reve (Joao Moreira) having on his last start won the Group 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen, which was his first run since finishing third to Ka Ying Rising in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint here on December 8th.