2011 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races Workout Photos

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French trainer Alain de Royer Dupre observes the morning works at Sha Tin in Hong Kong.

2011 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races
Workout Photos

Date: 12/09/2011

The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races will be run this Sunday afternoon at Sha Tin Racecourse. As usual, horses from Europe, Asia, and Australia ship in for the four Group 1 races, billed as the Turf World Championships, with the HK$20 million (about US$2.6 million) Hong Kong Cup the highlight of the afternoon, contested at 2000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles). It has been unusually cool for this tropical venue, with temperatures in the 60's.

Entries for the 2011 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races - to be run on Sunday
2011 Cathay Pacific International Jockeys' Championship - Frankie Dettori was the winner

Here are photos for 22 of the international horses on the track at Sha Tin, from Thursday and Friday mornings. Click the small photo to see a larger version.

Apapane cantered on the All Weather and schooled in the paddock area with the Japanese sprint runner Pas De Trois. Exercise rider Yoshinori Fukuda said of the Mile entrant, "She was very fresh, maybe too fresh, which made it hard to pull her up." Trainer Sakae Kunieda added, "She worked very well this morning. She is really fit and seems ready for Sunday."

Bated Breath goes in the Sprint on Sunday. Jockey Steve Drowne said, "I don't think Bated Breath will ever have gone as quick as he will on Sunday. And I think that will suit him as the pace of some of his races in Britain has just been slower than ideal. The problem is that the local sprinters are so strong, and everyone knows that European sprinters don't have a great record here."

Byword drew post 6 in the Cup for trainer Andre Fabre. He comes to Hong Kong after finishing 8th beaten 7 lengths in the Breeders' Cup Mile after winning the Prix Dollar. Regular rider Maxime Guyon gets the call on Sunday.

Campanalogist drew post 6 in the Vase for trainer Saeed bin Suroor. He won his last 2 starts, the Preis von Europa and the Gran Premio del Jockey Club, both in Group 1 company. Regular rider Frankie Dettori will be in the irons for owner Godolphin Racing. Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said, "As you know he has been in very good form recently but since he has arrived here he looks even better and stronger and his coat looks fantastic. I think it is a very open race and we just need the luck now."

Cirrus des Aigles, who drew post 2 in the Cup, galloped on the turf under exercise rider Fred Spanu Friday. Trainer Corine Barande-Barbe said of the Cup contender, "Fred Spanu took him to the turf course today. He's in charge of the fine tuning when it comes to big races. It was a good piece of work - he was flying this morning. Cirrus des Aigles is enjoying himself and that is what counts. He is as playful as ever. I have always said that he was easy to train because he is willing to do well. Our task is to restrain him rather than anything. Our main concern was to get him back to the stables in full order because the turf course was quite busy today and he is so playful that he could do foolish things when other horses pass by!"

Cityscape jogged on the turf Friday in preparation for the Mile under jockey Steve Drowne. He said, "I gave Cityscape a leg stretch this morning and everything was fine. And Bated Breath looked good in front of me as well. Although I would have liked a better draw I think Cityscape has enough ability to win. It is just a question of how much petrol he has left in the tank after a long season."

Dubawi Gold will break from the outside 14 post in the Mile for trainer Richard Hannon. He comes to Sha Tin off consecutive 4th place finishes in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Jockey Richard Hughes gets the call on Sunday.

Dunaden galloped on Thursday and Friday in preparation for the Vase. Trainer Mikel Delzangles said of the Vase contender, "He seems to have taken yesterday's fast work (on turf) very well and I am extremely happy with his preparation. The Vase looks very open since Snow Fairy went. The French brigade is good and it will be interesting to see what we can do here. Dunaden won on a quick surface over the distance at Geelong so he should be all right come Sunday."

Durban Thunder galloped on the Polytrack on Thursday and the turf on Friday in preparation for the Hong Kong Cup. Co-owner Felix Grafe said: "He's had a long trip from Amsterdam but has had a good rest since arriving in Hong Kong and is very fresh now. He had a bit of a problem in the Prix Dollar last time and we then had a trip scheduled to Rome but we cancelled it because of the very soft ground. This is his best distance and we would like to think he could finish in the first five." Trainer Torsten Mundry said, "He's a big long striding horse, and he maybe wasn't so impressive in his work, but with a good gallop he'll be a different story on Sunday."

Jakkalberry drew post 13 in the Vase. Trainer Marco Botti said, "This is his first run for me and this is my first visit to Hong Kong - which I am enjoying very much. Jakkalberry has travelled very well and is working well. He is a regular international traveller so that's what you would expect. He's settled well here and we hope he will be ready to show his best on Sunday."

Jimmy Choux, who drew post 2 in the Mile, jogged on Friday morning in preparation for the Mile. Trainer John Bary said, "Don't worry about us, all good," Bary said when asked whether his concerns about the horse being stabled alone were lingering, "I think he's started to settle in a whole lot better. His coat's great and he's feeling good." Jockey John Riddell added, "He's in good shape and so genuine and we've got the right draw. This is a great experience to ride here and one I wasn't going to miss. I wasn't taking any chances at home lately – been riding with indicators on."

Pas de Trois cantered on the Polytrack on Friday in preparation for the Sprint. Trainer Ippo Sameshima said, "Even after he had a tough breeze on Wednesday with Apapane and Curren Chan, which was clocked at 22.1 seconds for the last 400m, she is still in a good condition, maybe better than he is back home. The track on the rail is in very good condition, which is good for us with our inside draw."

Rajsaman drew post 4 for the Mile. Jockey Thierry Jarnet said, "Rajsaman is made for such contests as this. He can relax off the pace and finish well, just like he did here last year. Where he is drawn is irrelevant."

Ransom Note, who drew post 4 in the Cup, galloped on the turf Thursday. Trainer Charles Hills said, "In the Cup we were last up and were handed 4, which is a good draw. Ransom Note will love the ground and has a good temperament."

Red Cadeaux was out on the turf on Thursday to prep for the Vase. Trainer Ed Dunlop said, "This is my first morning in Hong Kong watching his trackwork and I'm pleased with what I see. I think he could surprise a few on Sunday but he'll need luck in running - they always do."

Redwood went out for a gallop on the Polytrack on Thursday and the turf on Friday in preparation for the Vase. Trainer Charles Hills said, "Redwood just loves the sight of a horsebox taking him on foreign travels. He's been working really well, ran a cracker in (the Vase) last year and if you look at his form at the Dubai Sheema Classic when second to Rewilding, he must have a chance." Jockey Michael Hills confirmed after the work "He's in great nick."

Rocket Man drew post 13 for the Sprint. Trainer Patrick Shaw said, "Well it's not the gate we would have wanted obviously, but he'll go forward from there because that's what he does. I won't say I'm not fazed by the draw, but what can you do?"

Sahpresa drew post 8 for the Mile. Trainer Rudolphe Collet said, "I am happy with number 8. It's better than number 9, which I picked last year. I seem to make some progress every year but I wish I was improving faster. I am told that 8 is a lucky number. Why don't they give me the winner's prize money straight away then?"

Silver Pond drew post 2 for the Vase. Jockey Thierry Jarnet said, "I wish we'd drawn a wider position for Silver Pond in the Vase because he has got that long stride and he's not the easiest horse to manoeuvre. He's not a consistent galloper and can be rather awkward to drive."

Sole Power drew post 8 in the Sprint. Trainer Edward Lynham said, "It could have been a lot worse. He needs to settle and 8 is a good spot for him to get cover."

Trailblazer galloped on the turf on Thursday. Trainer Yasutoshi Ikee said of the Vase entrant, "According to the jockey, the horse was shying a bit because the surface here is a little different to the track in Japan. I think the horse worked well on the grass stretch. The horse is in as good condition as he is ready in Japan and that is all down to the work of the stable staff. If the horse is in the same form as before the Japan Cup, he must have a good chance."

Vadamar jogged on Thursday in preparation for the Vase. Trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre said, "I arrived Wednesday morning and I find my horse in very good shape. It is not his first trip as he'd been to Epsom for the Derby last June (finished 7th). I knew he was a good traveller and in any case, he's a good-minded horse. He will canter tomorrow on the turf and I hope he will do well on Sunday."