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Withers, Toboggan, Ruthless Pegasus World Cup works Eclipse Awards Year in Review Santa Anita opening day |
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![]() Eagle Mountain wins the 2008 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup. He is back again this year. |
The last big event of the year on the international horse racing calendar is the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races. The four Group 1 events will be contested over the right-handed 1 5/16 mile turf course at Sha Tin on Sunday afternoon (late Saturday/early Sunday morning in America), all of which are under weight-for-age conditions. North American racing fans can watch the races on HPI-TV in Canada and at selected simulcast locations starting shortly after midnight Eastern time.
![]() Owner John Yuen Se Kit seems happy with post 9 for his returning Mile two-time winner Good Ba Ba. |
The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase (G1) will kick off the day's stakes action at 2:00PM local time (1:00AM ET) The race drew 13 entrants and will be run over the classic distance of 2400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles). Youmzain, who finished 2nd to Sea the Stars last out in the Arc de Triomphe, takes on Juddmonte star Spanish Moon and undefeated filly Daryakana. The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint (G1) is the next race at a distance of 1200 meters (about 6 furlongs) around one turn, and a field of 14 goes to post at 2:40PM (1:40AM ET). Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner California Flag faces a tough international field including All Silent from Australia and local hope Sacred Kingdom. The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile (G1) drew a full field of 14 and will run at 3:50PM (2:50AM ET) Two-time winner Good Ba Ba is looking for the three-peat and will go against Ferneley from the U.S., Duff from Ireland, and Confront from England. The highlight race of the day is the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup (G1), a 2000-meter (about 1 1/4 mile) trip around two turns, where a full field of 14 will go to post at 4:30PM (3:30AM ET). Defending champion Eagle Mountain is back but has only had one start since, and he will take on two top distaffers, Ashlanda from France and Queen Spumante from Japan.
![]() Owner Ken Ramsey give the thumbs-up after drawing post 1 for Cannonball in the Sprint. |
The draw had an interesting format, a bit different from last year. Each entrant had a representative on stage in the huge covered paddock at Sha Tin. The large video screen showed a Cathay Pacific jet landing on the turf course and virtual horses disembarking in a random order. When a horse exited the plane, that horse's connections would come up on stage to randomly pick a postcard hanging on the wall to reveal the post, just a more elaborate version of the traditional "double blind" system used everywhere. The graphical horses had accurate colors and after the posts were drawn, the graphical horses would enter the starting gate and would even "act up"!
Past performances are available for all the races in PDF format in their form guide. These are not traditional North American type past performances, but you should be able to understand them pretty well. Lots of other info like past winners and photos is also provided in the form guide. Click the race numbers below for a race card with trainers, jockeys, weights, and the silks of each horse.
![]() The horse representatives enjoy a champagne toast after the draw for the 2009 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup. |
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup (Group 1) – 2000m HK$20 million (US$2.6 million) Race 8 | ||||
Program Number | Horse Name | Country | Post Position | Jockey |
1 | VISION D'ETAT | FR | 7 | Olivier Peslier |
2 | EAGLE MOUNTAIN | SAF | 1 | Kevin Shea |
3 | PRESVIS | GB | 9 | Kieren Fallon |
4 | COLLECTION | HK | 10 | Darren Beadman |
5 | STARLISH | FR | 5 | Anthony Crastus |
6 | EYSHAL | HK | 4 | Weichong Marwing |
7 | MR MEDICI | HK | 6 | Frankie Dettori |
8 | SPECIAL DAYS | HK | 8 | Craig Williams |
9 | QUEEN SPUMANTE | JPN | 3 | Hiroyasu Tanaka |
10 | ASHALANDA | FR | 2 | Gerald Mosse |
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile (Group 1) – 1600m HK$16 million (US$2.1 million) Race 7 | ||||
Program Number | Horse Name | Country | Post Position | Jockey |
1 | GOOD BA BA | HK | 9 | Olivier Doleuze |
2 | EGYPTIAN RA | HK | 14 | Felix Coetzee |
3 | ABLE ONE | HK | 3 | Brett Prebble |
4 | RACING TO WIN | AUS | 10 | Hugh Bowman |
5 | GRIS DE GRIS | FR | 2 | Thierry Thulliez |
6 | HAPPY ZERO | HK | 11 | Darren Beadman |
7 | PRESSING | GB | 8 | Neil Callan |
8 | SIGHT WINNER | HK | 5 | Douglas Whyte |
9 | ALEXANDROS | UAE | 7 | Frankie Dettori |
10 | CONFRONT | GB | 12 | Ryan Moore |
11 | DUFF | IRE | 6 | Francis Berry |
12 | FELLOWSHIP | HK | 1 | Zac Purton |
13 | FERNELEY | USA | 4 | Kieren Fallon |
14 | SWEET HEARTH | FR | 13 | Gerald Mosse |
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase (Group 1) – 2400m HK$14 million (US$1.8 million) Race 4 | ||||
Program Number | Horse Name | Country | Post Position | Jockey |
1 | YOUMZAIN | GB | 7 | Kieren Fallon |
2 | SPANISH MOON | GB | 5 | Ryan Moore |
3 | VIVA PATACA | HK | 13 | Darren Beadman |
4 | KASBAH BLISS | FR | 4 | Thierry Thulliez |
5 | THUMBS UP | HK | 12 | Brett Prebble |
6 | JAGUAR MAIL | JPN | 1 | Christophe Soumillon |
7 | PACKING WINNER | HK | 6 | Brett Doyle |
8 | BUCCELLATI | GB | 9 | William Buick |
9 | JACKPOT DELIGHT | HK | 11 | James Winks |
10 | JAMESINA | HK | 8 | Jeffrey Lloyd |
11 | BLACK MAMBA | USA | 2 | Olivier Doleuze |
12 | CIRRUS DES AIGLES | FR | 10 | Franck Blondel |
13 | DARYAKANA | FR | 3 | Gerald Mosse |
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint (Group 1) – 1200m HK$12 million (US$1.6 million) Race 5 | ||||
Program Number | Horse Name | Country | Post Position | Jockey |
1 | SACRED KINGDOM | HK | 7 | Brett Prebble |
2 | SCENIC BLAST | AUS | 3 | Steven Arnold |
3 | ALL SILENT | AUS | 14 | Nicholas Hall |
4 | APACHE CAT | AUS | 9 | Damien Oliver |
5 | TOTAL GALLERY | GB | 2 | John Murtagh |
6 | BORDERLESCOTT | GB | 8 | Neil Callan |
7 | CALIFORNIA FLAG | USA | 4 | Joe Talamo |
8 | INSPIRATION | HK | 11 | James Winks |
9 | CANNONBALL | USA | 1 | Ramon Dominguez |
10 | GREEN BIRDIE | HK | 5 | Olivier Doleuze |
11 | LAUREL GUERREIRO | JPN | 13 | Shinji Fujita |
12 | WAR ARTIST | GB | 10 | Olivier Peslier |
13 | JOY AND FUN | HK | 6 | Brett Doyle |
14 | ONE WORLD | HK | 12 | Darren Beadman |
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