There's plenty to like about the four G1 Races on the card at Sha Tin on Sunday.
It's a great mix between the locals, the Europeans and the Japanese horses.
The Vase is Race 4 over 2400m and generally goes to a raider as Hong Kong does not have many races of this length. There are 8 runners including two previous winners: Glory Vase won in 2019 for Japan and Mogul last year for Ireland. Glory Vase will be ridden by Joao Moreira and is favourite here on both the UK and HK markets. Pyledriver is an improving horse and will be ridden by Martin Dwyer who won this on Phoenix Reach 14 years ago. He has a top international rating on 121 and is second in both the UK and HK markets. Mogul won this last year and hasn't won since but he has been lightly raced and doesn't like soft tracks so he should be much more at home here and there's always an extra point for horses who are defending their titles. Ryan Moore rides for Aidan O'Brien.
Alain de Royer-Dupre has been a very popular figure on the tracks all over the world and this will be his last race as he is retiring at the end of the year. He saddles Ebaiyra, a lovely mare owned by the Aga Khan, and Christophe Soumillon will be in the irons. She's been working well and fairy tales do happen. She's 12/1 in UK but third pick at the moment in HK on 5.1.
The Sprint has mostly been in the hands of the locals, but two previous winners from Japan have sent their sons to represent them: Pixie Knight, who is by Maurice, and Danon Smash whose sire Lord Kanaloa won this twice and Danon Smash is trying to do the same as he won this last year. See above comments re defenders of titles. Local Lucky Patch and Wellington head the local market with Pixie Knight the UK market. Pixie Knight and Resistencia have clashed twice recently at home and the verdict is even, with Resistencia winning the Centaur Stakes ahead of Pixie Knight and Pixie Knight winning the Sprinters' at Nakayama and Resistencia second. I'm giving the nod to Pixie Knight as with its uphill finish Nakayama is the tougher track to win on.
The Mile looks like being a home win as Golden Sixty is arguably the best horse in Hong Kong by a long way. He too won this race last year and has an international rating of 120.
The competition comes from the Japanese and Yasuda Kinen winner Danon Kingly could be the one to upset the champ. Indy Champ and Salios also have chances but it would be wonderful to see the local champ add to his incredible record.
The Cup is over 2000m and the wonder mare Loves Only You is having her last start. She's arrived from California after winning the Breeders' Cup F&M Turf, the first Japanese horse to win one of the top Breeders' Cup races. She won the QEII Cup here in May so knows her way around the track here and her trainer Yahagi-sensei recently won the Japan Cup with the wonderful Contrail. Kawada-san will be riding her again and is 2/1 in UK, 5.0 in HK.
Her countrywoman Lei Papale is by the inimitable Deep Impact and will be ridden by Christophe Soumillon. We should mention that the Japanese jockeys riding here are not going to be out of quarantine in time to ride in the Arima Kinen, the big Grand Prix.
English raider Dubai Honour comes with good form and the combination of William Haggas and Tom Marquand has been going great guns all over the world. Lei Papale and Dubai Honour are both on 8.6 in HK although in UK naturally enough they are favouring Dubai Honour. The locals have the Brazilian-bred Panfield in this who is on 6.1 in HK with Karis Teetan riding for Tony Millard. We have a roughie here in one of the other Japanese runners – Hishi Iguazu with Moreira riding the Hori-sensei runner. They are on 12/1 or 9.2.
The weather looks perfect – sunny intervals and a top of 25.
