Exultant Faces Pakistan Star, Time Warp & Southern Legend In The Gr.1 Hong Kong Gold Cup with a championship agenda
Tony Cruz trained-Exultant headlines the 11-strong field of stayers to compete in this week's Gr.1 Hong Kong Gold Cup.
Exultant faces-off against the infamously mercurial Pakistan Star and the unpredictable Time Warp.
The handler confirmed this morning (12 February) that Exultant will stay Hong Kong-side through the remainder of the campaign, to contest the Gr.1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) and Gr.1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m), and will not head to Dubai for the Gr.1 Dubai Sheema Classic at the end of March.
Exultant saw off international raiders to become only the third Hong Kong-trained winner of the Gr.1 Hong Kong Vase in December and last month swept by talented rivals for a cozy score under a big weight in the G3 Centenary Vase Handicap.
The Australian is not taking anything for granted on Sunday though when his rivals will also include Gr.1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m) hero Glorious Forever, as well as top-class competitors Eagle Way, Southern Legend, Singapore Sling and Northern Superstar.
Pakistan Star carried off the Champion Stayer title last year after impressive Gr.1 wins in the QEII Cup and Champions & Chater Cup. The six-year-old has failed to fire so far this season but Cruz believes his time will come again. Tommy Berry returning as the gelding’s partner in place of Silvestre de Sousa
Berry’s only previous outing on the Shamardal gelding resulted in Champions & Chater Cup success last May.
Credit: HKJC