SILENT WITNESS still unbeaten HEADLINE p. 3 NEWS For information about TDN, DELIVERED EACH NIGHT BY FAX AND FREE BY E-MAIL TO SUBSCRIBERS OF call 732-747-8060. www.thoroughbreddailynews.com MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2004 AS GOOD AS GOLD PHOENIX REACH TAKES THE VASE Alexander Goldrun (Ire) (Gold Away {Ire}) was pro- Phoenix Reach (Ire) (Alhaarth {Ire}) battled to the wire duced from the back of the pack and held on in a des- to earn a hard-fought half-length victory in yesterday’s perate finish to win the G1 Hong Kong Cup by a short G1 Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin. A dull 10th in the G1 head over the locally based Bull- King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond S. July ish Luck (Royal Academy) at Sha 24, the Irish-bred colt hinted at a return to better form Tin yesterday. She becomes the when sixth, beaten about five lengths with blinkers first filly to win the race in the added in the Nov. 28 G1 Japan Cup. Lightly regarded in event’s history and is the first yesterday’s 2400-meter event, Phoenix Reach was Irish-trained filly to win in Hong forwardly placed behind a dawdling early pace and, Kong since 1991. “Her draw was after getting his cue midway on the turn, bid for the Alexander Goldrun (inside) a worry, gate 12 wasn’t a help, lead three wide into the stretch. He made the front in www.hkjc.com but on the day she broke well upper stretch and was joined to his outside by Sights and got into a good early position,” said winning jockey On Gold (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) for the final furlong, Kevin Manning. “She has a great turn of foot.” The bay prevailing in a driving finish. “They went very slow, so I came into this off back-to-back scores at the 2000- wanted to be near the pace,” explained winning jockey meter distance, including an impressive win in the G1 Martin Dwyer. “At the 3 1/2-pole, I quickened and he Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp Oct. 3. Cont. p.2 was electric. I was aware of Frankie [Dettori] looming up on my outside, and I can tell you that’s not a nice Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong sight, but my lad just kept pulling out more.” Chart p2 CX HONG KONG CUP-G1, HK$18,000,000, Sha Tin, 12-12, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:03.3, gd/fm. DIFFERENT YEAR, SAME STORY 1--ALEXANDER GOLDRUN (IRE), 119, f, 3, by Gold Away (Ire) Hollywood Story (Wild Rush) had not visited the win- 1st Dam: Renashaan (GB) (SW & GSP-Fr), by Darshaan (GB) ner’s circle since a dramatic maiden-breaking victory in 2nd Dam: Gerbera, by Lyphard last December’s GI Hollywood Starlet and yesterday it 3rd Dam: Greenway (Fr), by Targowice was deja vu all over again as the three-year-old filly (Ir£40,000 wnlg ‘01 GOFNOV). O-Mrs Noel stormed down the stretch to secure a one-length vic- O’Callaghan; B-Dermot Cantillon; T-Jim Bolger; tory in the GII Bayakoa H. at Hollywood Park. Holly- J-Kevin Manning; HK$10,200,000. Lifetime Record: wood Story had been keeping top company since her G1SW-Fr & Ire, GSW & MG1SP-Eng, 15-7-4-1, Starlet victory, running second in the GI Las Virgenes S. HK$14,116,890. *1/2 to Medecis (GB) (Machiavel- in February, fourth in the GI Santa Anita Oaks and fifth lian), GSW & MG1SP-Fr, GSP-US, $264,355. in the GI Kentucky Oaks. After third-place efforts in the 2--Bullish Luck, 126, g, 5, Royal Academy--Wild Vin- June 12 GII Hollywood Breeders’ Cup Oaks and on the tage, by Alysheba. (50,000gns yrl ‘00 TATOCT). grass in the July 3 GI American Oaks, the dark bay filly O-Wong Wing Keung; B-Max & Isabel Morris; was a well-beaten 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff last HK$4,000,000. time out. Sent off at 5-1 in the Bayakoa, Hollywood 3--Touch of Land (Fr), 126, c, 4, Lando (Ger)--Touch of Story chased a moderate pace before moving up four Class (Ger), by Be My Guest. (FF90,000 yrl ‘01 wide into the lane. She took charge at midstretch and DEAOCT). O-Gary A Tanaka; B-SARL Haras de won with authority. “She was just ready for this race,” Chevotel; HK$1,800,000. trainer John Shirreffs said of the winner. “She looked Margins: SHD, 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 21-1, 20-1, 55-1. great in the paddock, carrying a good weight, got Vic- Also Ran: Powerscourt (GB), Ancient World, Elegant tor [Espinoza] back on her. She’s run a lot of good Fashion (Aus), Rakti (GB), Ain’t Here (Aus), Walkamia (Fr), races without winning, so it always gave us the Latice (Ire), Soldier Hollow (GB), Fields of Omagh (Aus), thought that she could compete at this level.” Chart p4 Dance in the Mood (Jpn), Bowman’s Crossing (Ire). Click for brisnet.com chart or brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. www.overbrookfarm.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 12/13/04 • PAGE 2 of 5 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup cont. Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong Alexander the Great... CX HONG KONG VASE-G1, HK$14,000,000, Sha Tin, A handy five-length winner of the G3 Irish 1000 12-12, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:29.8, gd/fm. Guineas Trial May 9, Alexander Goldrun ran the classy 1--PHOENIX REACH (IRE), 126, c, 4, by Alhaarth (Ire) Attraction (GB) to a length when second in the Irish 1st Dam: Carroll’s Canyon (Ire), by Hatin Classic two weeks later. The bay filly found Latice (Ire) 2nd Dam: Tuna (GB), by *Silver Shark (Inchinor {GB}) two lengths too good when finishing 3rd Dam: Vimelette (Fr), by Vimy (Fr) fourth in the G1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) June 13, (Ir£16,000 wnlg ‘00 GOFNOV; 36,000gns yrl ‘01 but bounced back to take the G1 Pretty Polly S. less DONSEP). O-Winterbeck Manor Stud; B-Christine than two weeks later. Rested off that effort, the Jim Kiernan; T-Andrew Balding; J-Martin Dwyer; Bolger trainee defeated the top-class Grey Lilas (Ire) in HK$8,000,000. Lifetime Record: GISW-NA, GSW & the Opera in her lone prep race for this test. G1SP-Eng, 10-4-1-1, HK$17,759,190. 2--Sights On Gold (Ire), 126, h, 5, Indian Ridge (Ire)-- A Golden Run... Summer Trysting, by Alleged. O-Godolphin; Drawn out in 12, Alexander Goldrun was a bit wide B-Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd; HK$3,000,000. into the first bend before settling into a midpack posi- 3--Vallee Enchantee (Ire), 122, f, 4, Peintre Celebre-- tion, but not far from the front, as the field rounded Verveine, by Lear Fan. O-Ecurie Wildenstein; into the Sha Tin backstretch. In and amongst horses B-Dayton Investments Ltd; HK$1,500,000. throughout the middle stages, she found some daylight Margins: HF, 1HF, 3/4. Odds: 26-1, 21-1, 9-5. and began to advance at the three-eighths pole. Six or Also Ran: Sweet Stream (Ity), Super Kid (NZ), Polish seven paths off the rail at the quarter-mile marker, the Summer (GB), Beethoven (NZ), Imperial Dancer (GB), Irish-bred rallied to the front approaching the final fur- Warrsan (Ire), Simonas (Ire), Roosevelt (Ire), Brian Boru long and just staved off a furious rally from Bullish (GB). Luck, who nearly did the impossible on the day, coming Phoenix Reach, winner of the G3 Gordon S. in just from last to just miss. Touch of Land (Fr) (Lando {Ger}) his third career start, was beaten 2 3/4 lengths into was along for third, while Powerscourt (GB) (Sadler’s third by Brian Boru (GB) in the G1 St Leger last Septem- Wells), who raced with the eventual winner into the ber before recording a career-best victory in the GI lane, won a photo for fourth. A claim of foul lodged by Canadian International the following month. A promis- jockey Jamie Spencer aboard Powerscourt against the ing start to his career had turned sour this year as the runner-up was disallowed. bay colt was sixth in the G1 Prince of Wales’s S. in Click for the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. June and in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud before Click here for the HKJC chart or for a race replay: mo- being sidelined off a 10th-place finish in the G1 King dem or broadband. George VI and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond S. July 24. Let go at 26-1 off a sixth in the Nov. 28 G1 Japan Cup, Rakti Disappoints... the colt outbattled Sights on Gold for his second Group Rakti (GB) (Polish Precedent), second to Falbrav (Ire) 1 win. Defending race champion Vallee Enchantee in last year’s Cup, broke tardily, endured a wide journey raced wide for most of the journey and stayed on well and could do no better than seventh as the 3-1 favor- to earn a place, while Sweet Stream (Ity) (Shantou) ite. “He just couldn’t find that extra gear,” said his rider rallied from way back to be a creditable fourth. Click for Phillip Robinson. “He really gave me nothing in the the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Click straight. He’s not quite the horse he was at the begin- here for the HKJC chart or for a race replay: modem or ning of the season.” broadband.