TATTERSALLS CONCLUDES p.6 HEADLINE For information about TDN, call 732-747-8060. NEWS www.thoroughbreddailynews.com FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2007 THE WORLD GATHERS IN HONG KONG CATHAY PACIFIC For the past few years, officials at the Hong Kong HONG KONG Jockey Club have marketed the Cathay Pacific Hong INTERNATIONAL RACES Kong International Races as the ATurf World Champion- ships.@ By all accounts, they are achieving their goals. Post positions were as- Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong signed yesterday morning CATHAY PACIFIC HONG KONG CUP-G1, to a total of 46 horses, 25 HK$20,000,000, 3yo/up, 2000mT of which are based outside SC PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY of the island nation, includ- 1 4 Ramonti (Fr) Martino Alonso (Ity) Dettori ing Mrs. John Magnier and 27 Vengeance of Rain (NZ) Zabeel (NZ) Delpech Michael Tabor=s Dylan 3 3 Viva Pataca (GB) Marju (Ire) Kinane Thomas (Ire) (Danehill). The 42 Shadow Gate (Jpn) White Muzzle (GB) Tanaka world=s second-highest Dylan Thomas HKJC.com 5 1 Art Trader Arch Beadman rated Thoroughbred and 6 6 Royal Prince (GB) Mark of Esteem (Ire) Prebble top attraction in the G1 Hong Kong Vase, the six-time 7 5 Musical Way (Fr) Gold Away (Ire) Thomas Group 1 winner is coming off a fifth in the GI Breeders= All carry 126 pounds, except Musical Way, 122. Cup Turf and drew the middle of the gate in a field of Godolphin=s Ramonti, third in last year=s G1 Hong 13. AThat's fine,@ said trainer Aidan O'Brien. AThe main Kong Mile, would have been one of the higher-fancied thing is that the horse is happy and in good shape. I runners in this year=s renewal, but will stretch out to was delighted with how he was [Thursday] morning.@ this longer distance for the first time. "Although he's Foreign-based horses have won the last eight runnings won three Group 1s over a mile, we think he needs of the Vase, though Daliapour (Ire) was purchased by further so we're giving it a try,@ said trainer Saeed bin local connections ahead of his win in 2000. The draw Suroor. AIf he goes well, it will give us an idea for future figures to have the most say in the G1 Hong Kong races. I have some confidence he will run well because Sprint, for which local favorite Sacred Kingdom (Aus) his work in Dubai last Saturday was very good. I'm (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) will break from the six hole, hoping he will lead in the race and relax in front." while Australian Horse of the Vengeance of Rain, victorious in 2005 and third in his Year Miss Andretti (Aus) title defense last year, was pronounced in Atremendous (Ihtiram {Ire}) will have to work shape@ by trainer David Ferraris. AHis last run just what out a trip from the 12. Her he needed; it put a bit of speed in to him,@ he said. AHe trainer Lee Freedman seemed finished very strongly and he has come through his not the least concerned. prep really well. He's fresh and looking really good.@ AThere's speed on the inside and that sometimes can make The G1 Dubai Sheema Classic winner ran on to be a it tough for those drawn down good fifth when prepping in the G2-HK Mile Trial on the rails,@ he opined. The Nov. 17, his first start in over five months. Regular rider race favorites for the G1 Hong Anthony Delpech reclaims the mount Sunday. Miss Andretti HKJC.com Kong Cup and G1 Hong Kong Mile landed favorable barriers. Viva Pataca (GB) (Marju {Ire}) (post three) will renew acquaintances with 2005 winner Vengeance of Rain (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) (post seven) in the Cup, having won the last two head-to- head encounters. AI was looking for an inside draw, but I guess that in a small field it is not a big worry,@ com- mented Vengeance of Rain=s owner Raymond Gianco Chow Hon Man. The locals have fared well in the Mile, including last year=s mild upset by The Duke (Aus) (Danehill). A strong home team, led by G2-HK Mile Trial hero Good Ba Ba (Lear Fan), squares off with the likes of GI Breeders= Cup Mile runner-up Excellent Art (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and the talented three-year-old filly Darjina (Fr) (Zamindar). www.claibornefarm.com P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 12/7/07 • PAGE 2 of 8 CX Hong Kong International Races cont. Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong CATHAY PACIFIC HONG KONG VASE-G1, CATHAY PACIFIC HONG KONG MILE-G1, HK$14,000,000, 3yo/up, 2400mT HK$16,000,000, 3yo/up, 1600mT SC PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY SC PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY 1 7 Dylan Thomas (Ire) Danehill Murtagh 11 Kongo Rikishio (Ire) Stravinsky Fujita 2 1 Quijano (Ger) Acatenango (Ger) Starke 213 Spirito del Vento (Fr) Indian Lodge (Ire) Peslier 3 8 Red Rocks (Ire) Galileo (Ire) Dettori 3 3 The Duke (Aus) Danehill Boss 4 4 Doctor Dino (Fr) Muhtathir Peslier 4 2 Able One (NZ) Cape Cross (Ire) Kinane 5 6 Bussoni (Ger) Goofalik Soumillon 510 Al Qasi (Ire) Elnadim Moore 6 3 Egerton (Ger) Groom Dancer Mundry 611 Floral Pegasus (Aus) Fusaichi Pegasus Mosse 7 9 Vital King (NZ) Almutawakel Prebble 7 6 Good Ba Ba Lear Fan Doleuze 810 Arch Rebel (Ire) Arch Berry 87 Joyful Winner (Aus) El Moxie Beadman 9 2 Kocab (GB) Unfuwain Pasquier 9 4 Down Town (Aus) Scenic (Ire) Whyte 10 13 Viva Macau (Fr) Sendawar (Ire) Beadman 10 5 Excellent Art (GB) Pivotal (GB) Murtagh 11 11 Hawkes Bay (GB) Vettori (Ire) Mosse 11 12 Creachadoir (Ire) King=s Best Dettori 12 5 Ever Bright (NZ) Cape Cross (Ire) Doleuze 12 8 Visionario (Ire) Spinning World Callan 13 12 Macleya (Ger) Winged Love (Ger) Moore 13 9 Darjina (Fr) Zamindar Soumillon All carry 126 pounds, except Macleya, 122. All carry 126 pounds, except Excellent Art, Creachadoir J. Paul Reddam=s Red Rocks is making the 16th start & Visionario, 125; and Darjina, 121. of his career this weekend and will be trying a 12th Japan=s Kongo Rikishio isn=t hard to miss in the morn- different turf course. The 2006 GI Breeders= Cup Turf ing thanks to his flourescent pink blinkers and matching upsetter has raced this season in saddle towel. The five-year-old also wears a more un- Dubai, England, Ireland and usual piece of equipment--a America, where he was most muzzle he has been recently recently third to English Channel fitted with in order to stop in defense of his BC Turf crown. him from biting. The Irish- Claire Dale, travelling head girl to bred does his best work trainer Brian Meehan, gave a pos- from the front and drew ide- itive update on the four-year-old ally at the rail for Sunday=s colt. "He is in great shape and I big race. AI am happy we have been giving good bulletins have drawn the inside. It's Red Rocks HKJC.com to Brian back home--he will be perfect for us,@ said trainer here tomorrow,@ she commented. Kenji Yamauchi. His Japa- AHe came here fit and ready and has actually put on Kongo Rikishio HKJC.com nese form holds him in good weight since he arrived, so that's a good sign. He al- stead. Winner of the ways seems to travels well and has been eating well." G2 Yomiuri Milers Cup Apr. 14, he led nearly every step of the June 3 G1 Yasuda Kinen before succumbing late Hong Kong Vase--Video PPs to top miler Daiwa Major (Jpn). Kongo Rikishio galloped Dylan Thomas (Ire)--G1 Irish Champion S. yesterday over the Sha Tin turf, covering his final quar- Doctor Dino (Fr) (3rd)--G1 Singapore Airlines Int=l Cup ter mile in :23.3. AThe horse looks in good form,@ Quijano (Ger)--G1 Grosser Preis von Baden Yamauchi added. Red Rocks (Ire)--G3 Gordon Richards S. P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 12/7/07 • PAGE 3 of 8 CX Hong Kong International Races cont. Chapple-Hyam Back in Hong Kong... Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong Trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam has saddled the winners CATHAY PACIFIC HONG KONG SPRINT-G1, of 24 Group 1 races throughout Europe since 1991 and HK$12,000,000, 3yo/up, 1200mT celebrated his second success in the G1 Epsom Derby SC PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY this past spring courtesy of Au- 13 Absolute Champion (Aus) Marauding (NZ) Prebble thorized (Ire). The 44-year-old 2 2 Benbaun (Ire) Stravinsky Smullen conditioner is back this week for 36 Sacred Kingdom (Aus) Encosta de Lago (Aus) Mosse the Internationals with Al Qasi 4 5 Marchand d=Or (Fr) Marchand de Sable Bonilla (Ire) (Elnadim), who will start a 5 7 Scintillation (Aus) Danehill Saint-Martin decided longshot in the G1 Hong 611 Tiza (SAf) Goldkeeper Soumillon Kong Mile. AHe did not travel par- 7 9 Desert Lord (GB) Green Desert Callan ticularly well, but he's absolutely 813 Why Be (Aus) Success Express Callow fine now and he'll probably work 9 4 Royal Delight (Aus) Commands (Aus) Dye on turf tomorrow,@ he explained. 10 1 Sunny Sing (Ire) Sri Pekan Beadman ASo far so good." To be ridden 11 10 Sunny Power (Aus) Honour and Glory Cheng by Ryan Moore, Al Qasi will step 12 8 Green Birdie (NZ) Catbird (Aus) Dettori up to the 1600 meters for the 13 12 Miss Andretti (Aus) Ihtiram (Ire) Newitt first time Sunday.