Hong Kong Stars Prep for Decembers Group 1 Events
Hong Kong runners swept the board in the 2018 Longines Hong Kong International races, winning all four group 1 events, and they will return Nov. 17 at Sha Tin Racecourse in the dress rehearsal for this year's big races.
Three group 2 races point directly to group 1 events over the same course Dec. 8. Only the Longines Hong Kong Vase, contested at 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles), goes without a prep because the distance is rare in Hong Kong, so the 2018 Vase winner will run at a shorter distance.
Beauty Generation, the winner of the past two editions of the Longines Hong Kong Mile Gr.1 and a two-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year, ranks the favourite in the Jockey Club Mile Gr.2 despite a recent defeat that snapped a 10-race winning streak.
Rise High and Waikuku finished 1-2 in front of Beauty Generation in the Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy Gr.2 Oct. 20 as the champ was boxed behind the leaders early, surrendered massive weight to all rivals, and couldn't find his usual turn of foot in the late going.
Rise High is headed elsewhere, but Waikuku returns as part of a relatively small field of seven. Trainer John Moore said his confidence was restored after Watching Beauty Generation gallop Nov. 14.
glorious Forever and Time Warp, full brothers who finished first and third in the 2018 Longines Hong Kong Cup Gr.1, return in the Jockey Club Cup Gr.2. In last year's race, they were separated by the late-running Japanese filly Deirdre. Deirdre could be back in December, but the buzz is much more about the promised appearance of Almond Eye, the 4yo daughters of Lord Kanaloa, himself a two-time winner at Hong Kong's international festival.