Japanese trio ready to make hay while Romantic Warrior is away
The last time the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) was run without Romantic Warrior, brilliant mare Loves Only You headed up a Japanese first four in the richest of the three FWD Champions Day features.
This Sunday, it's very possible gallopers from the Land of the Rising Sun fill the trifecta.
In 2021, Loves Only You led Glory Vase, Daring Tact and Kiseki over the line to not only complete a Japanese domination of that year's edition of the QE II Cup but also continue an impressive run of three victories in five years for the country.
Now, with three-time QE II Cup champion Romantic Warrior enjoying a breather after a demanding campaign in the Middle East, three gallopers who know what it's like to chase home the world's highest-earning racehorse will get their chance to shine in his absence.
Liberty Island and Tastiera, who filled the placings behind Romantic Warrior in December's Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m), are firmly in the market, while Prognosis – runner-up in the past two QE II Cups – is also among the leading hopes.
While they must beat French heavyweight Goliath, New Zealand's El Vencedor and local runners Rubylot and Cap Ferrat, among others, the Japanese trio have the form on the board in Hong Kong and look poised to continue their country's strong association with the race.
Joao Moreira, who snared the 2017 QE II Cup for Japan aboard Neorealism, is expecting the Japanese contingent to be 'very hard to beat'.
While the star Brazilian jockey will ride rank outsider Moments In Time in the HK$28 million feature, he's spent plenty of time riding in Japan recently and he has a big opinion of a horse he has previously ridden on race day.
'I saw Tastiera this morning and he looked stunning and shining. On my pick, I think he will be the horse to beat, but racing is racing and you never know what is going to happen,' said the Magic Man.
While the QE II Cup honour roll is littered with successful overseas raiders, Moreira's mount Satono Reve and three other Japanese speedsters are looking to become only the second international winners of the Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) after Australia's Chautauqua.
It's a similar story in the Group One Champions Mile, with leading overseas hope Mr Brightside looking to buck a trend that has seen only Variety Club (2014) and Maurice (2016) deny the locals in the race's 24-year existence.
El Vencedor ticking along nicely
Zac Purton and James McDonald have been trading blows at the pointy end of Hong Kong's biggest races for some time now and the star Australian will look to get one up on his Kiwi rival by spearing New Zealand-trained rival El Vencedor to victory in Sunday's QE II Cup.
While El Vencedor, who shrugged off a hoof abscess earlier this week, proved difficult for Purton to kick into gear on Thursday morning, his eventual work over 1,200m on the turf pleased trainer Stephen Marsh.
'All happy. It was good to have Zac on today to get a feel for him. As you can see, he has got a massive grandstand to look at here and it took him a little while to get going but once he got going, he is still not fully concentrating,' said Marsh of El Vencedor, who drew barrier one at Thursday's draw.
'Now he has had that good look, it will bring him on beautifully and that's all he really wanted.'
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