Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup

VENGEANCE OF RAIN (HK)
Worked 800m in a turf gallop on Tuesday morning in 25.2 sec and 21.7 sec, according to Turf Timers.

Anthony Delpech, jockey:

"He worked brilliantly, he's flying. Honestly, I think he's in better form than last year. As for the race itself, I'm not worried if there's no pace because I can have him close and then kick on from, say, the 600m or 700m. I know for a fact that he has still has that same acceleration that won him the race last year and the Derby and the QEII before. Some people saw his run last time in the Mile Trial and they say 'oh he's dour, he's lost that kick' but he wasn't trained for that race and David [Ferraris, trainer] has proven time and again how good he is at getting horses to peak on the big day."

VIVA PATACA (HK)
John Moore, trainer:

"He's just come to hand now and I'm expecting a big run. He's really very well. First up this season he ran great over a trip well short of his best and I think that effort was a bit hard on him. I'm a firm believer in the 'second-up syndrome' and I think that's what happened to him last time. The other thing is that he has to have cover - it's vital to him. He was covering ground last time and he ran flat and it was the same in the QEII last year. If he gets a good gate, his chances improve enormously with Soumillon riding. He will work again later in the week to top him off."

HELLO PRETTY (HK)

Brett Prebble, jockey:

"He has really improved. He has just matured this season since switching stables. I have had two rides on him, winning over 1800m from a big weight and the second time in the Cup Trial when he just destroyed the opposition so how can you fault his form? Tony says he's flying so that's good enough for me."

ALEXANDER GOLDRUN (IRE)

Performed a half-speed gallop on the dirt on Tuesday in 26.8 sec.

Ger Flynn, work rider:

"She seems in similar shape to when she won the race in 2004 - I rode her light work then as well. She still has that same zip. We made a mistake by running her in bad ground in the Champion Stakes before the Cup last year. It might have taken the edge off her but in the end she wasn't beaten that far after getting a bad run here. She is fresher this year and you can forget her run in the Sun Chariot Stakes when it wasn't her trip and the ground was very loose. We'll definitely know much more about her when her jockey Kevin Manning comes and works her on Thursday."

DIA DE LA NOVIA (JPN)

Cantered easily for one lap on the dirt.

Yuichi Fukunaga, jockey:

"This is my first time to ride her and she felt good. I have ridden against her in races back home and I know she is very good so I am looking forward to the ride."

ADMIRE MOON (JPN)

Cantered for a lap on the dirt.

Masanobu Baba, work rider:

"He was very relaxed today. He will gallop steadily on Thursday on the all-weather track and then go half-speed on the turf course on Friday."

ART TRADER (HK)
Trainer John Moore:

"This race will most likely be a bit tough for him. He's a good horse at his level in Group races in Hong Kong but at this grade? I don't know."

PRIDE (FR)

Looked in great heart, as she has done all year. She jogged a circuit, and then followed up with a canter on the all weather track in 27.8 sec. Trainer Alain de Royer Dupre will be at Sha Tin to supervise her preparation on Wednesday morning.

MUSICAL WAY (FR) & SATWA QUEEN (FR)

Steady work on the dirt for both.

Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile

DANCE IN THE MOOD (JPN)

Cantered gently on the dirt

Tsukasa Uemizu, travelling head lad to trainer Kazuo Fujisawa:
"This is her fourth time to travel abroad, so she is well used to it and is eating up well. She was quite green in her last start in Hong Kong for the Cup, but she has improved a lot, both mentally and physically. We will give her a fast breeze on the all-weather track on Thursday. The mile is her best distance and it's better for her that she will start on the backstretch because she was very tense when she started in front of such a big crowd two years ago in the Hong Kong Cup."

RAMONTI (ITA)
Cantered on the dirt under jockey, Endo Botti.

Alduino Botti, trainer:

"He's very well. He's got better each day out here and I'm confident that he'll run a good race on Sunday. I know that he has improved substantially from the Gr.1 Vittorio di Capua in Milan in October but taking on a field like this in Hong Kong in December - you never know. It's like a shot in the dark. He doesn't have to lead, but if there's no pace, then I'll be happy for him to go on in front. When he won the Parioli [Italian 2000 Guineas], he won it from behind.

ARMADA (HK)
Douglas Whyte, jockey:

"He's the best chance I have had to win one of these races since Indigenous [won the Vase in 1998]. I haven't been on Armada since I won the Mile Trial last month - I'd love to but John [Size, trainer] is onto to that one. If it's not broke, then don't fix it, I suppose. The way John trains, you'd feel he is going to improve from that win last time and that gives me great confidence. Of the other horses, I reckon Dance In The Mood might be the one to meet - his trainer [Kazuo Fujisawa] is top class.

BULLISH LUCK (HK)
Brett Prebble, jockey:

"Tony [Cruz, trainer] ensures me he is coming to peak form and when Tony says that, it's not often he gets it wrong. He's a big gross horse so he's going to improve for his last run on fitness alone. The more pace in the race, the better for him."

JOYFUL WINNER (HK)

John Moore, trainer:
"I don't think he is at his peak yet. Not for a race like this. His coat is good, all dappled up, but I think his best is yet to come after this race."

SIR ERNESTO (HK)

Worked on the turf track over 1200m, coming home in 22.4 seconds under big race rider, Felix Coetzee.

REBEL REBEL (USA)

Connections of were pleased with the powerful Rebel Rebel after a steady canter on the dirt.

MUSTAMEET (IRE)

Just did gentle trackwork on the dirt under his jockey, Declan McDonogh.

Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase

ADMIRE MAIN (JPN)

Went half-speed on the turf under regular exercise rider, Yuta Komiyama, who said:

"The fast turf suited him very well and he is in really good form."

SONG OF WIND (JPN)

Cantered on the dirt.
Kazuhiro Yamayoshi, travelling head lad for trainer Hidekazu Asami:
"The horse is very settled into Hong Kong and he will breeze on the turf on Thursday. The draw does not matter. He can race from anywhere and he always gives his best."

SCORPION (IRE)

Caught the eye in a half-speed canter on the all-weather track.

Pat Keating, travelling head lad to trainer Aidan O'Brien:

"He's in grand form and has settled in well. His trainer will be in town later in the week to finalise his preparations."

SATURN (HK)
Worked 1200m on the dirt under jockey, finishing in 22.4 sec.

Danny Nikolic, jockey:

"His work this morning was very good. He raced against Hello Pretty last time and beat the Derby winner Viva Pataca quite easily so we have all the boxes ticked. Whether he can beat the likes of Ouija Board remains to be seen, of course, but he will run a good race."

OUIJA BOARD (GB)

Put in her regular canter on the all weather surface, looking relaxed and at ease.

MARAAHEL (GB)

Had his first outing on the all weather track, looking fit and well. Did no more than a hack canter.

COLLIER HILL (GB)

Steady canter on the all weather track.

EGERTON (GER)

Looked very well and asked to do no more than a routine canter under jockey Torsten Mundry on the dirt.

SHAMDALA (FR)

Covered two handy circuits of the dirt track.

KASTORIA (IRE)

Only did a regulation canter around the all weather track.

Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint

RED OOG (AUS)

Impressed in a turf gallop, finishing up in 23.6 sec.

Joe Pride, trainer:

"I brought him here quite fit after a barrier trial and a race already and his work there was what we were looking for. He pulled up well and he's in good form. He lost minor amount of weight on the flight but he is over that and back above that weight again. The one thing is that he will need a soft draw and an interference-free run. He is definitely good enough to win this race. If he gets luck he will be in the finish and when he is in the finish after a good passage, he generally wins."

MEISHO BOWLER (JPN)
Ridden by work rider Katsuya Shirai, he did a three-quarter-speed gallop on turf finishing about six lengths ahead of work companion Admire Main (CXHK Vase), in a final 400m of 24.3 sec.

Watching jockey Yuichi Fukunaga said:

"That looked like nice work and I think the 1200m distance will suit him here. He did not finish well [ran 9th] in his last start in the Swan Stakes over 1400m. I don't think the track at Kyoto suited him very well. Sha Tin looks better for him."

SHE IS TOSHO (JPN)
Cantered easily on the dirt under work rider Akinori Orikawa, who later said:

"He was just getting used to the new surroundings. I just gave him an light canter for one lap and he did it very smoothly."

ABSOLUTE CHAMPION (HK)
Received an invite for the race yesterday with the withdrawal of Red Clubs owing to travel sickness.

David Hall, trainer:

"I was very disappointed that he didn't get in originally having a set track record last start. He was always trained for this race so it's not like he has missed any work and he is best fresh. I just hope that he gets an inside draw like when he won last time because I can't say that he's that much better than many of the ones he is going to meet from set weights. He's going to need a few favours."

SUNNY SING (HK) & ABLE PRINCE (HK)
John Moore, trainer:

"The first thing to say about my two in the Sprint is that I think they will be running for places behind Takeover Target - his consistency at this level is something we just can't match. I have a slight preference for Sunny Sing over Able Prince because he is the tougher horse, although Able Prince is fresh and that suits him best. A good draw will be critical to their chances."

TAKEOVER TARGET (AUS) Joe Janiak, trainer:

"He's about 2kgs heavier at the moment than when he won in Japan but that will go after another hit-out tomorrow. He was a bit keen yesterday but he's in as good form as when he was in Japan and we have had no major problems - everything has been really good."

HKJC Media Release Published 05/12/06