Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races 2006 Thursday, December 7 Tracknotes & Barrier Draw Reaction
7 December 2006
Overseas Horse December 7 Trackwork Video
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile
ARMADA (HK) - Barrier 5
John Size, trainer:
"Look, the draw is perfect and he can be positioned right behind the speed. He has done very well since his last run, but this is still a real rise in class. His Mile Trial win was very good but it's fair to say he probably has to improve again on that performance to win this. I'm very happy to have him in the race and hopefully he is still heading upwards - but this is his biggest task."
SIR ERNESTO (HK) - Barrier 1
Derek Cruz, trainer:
"We will lead from that gate. His work has been great and I'm really looking forward to the race."
FLORAL PEGASUS (HK) - Barrier 6
BULLISH LUCK (HK) - Barrier 7
RUSSIAN PEARL (HK) - Barrier 10
All three horses performed sharp dirt hit-outs on Thursday morning in 21.4 or 21.5 sec, according to Turf Timers.
Tony Cruz, trainer:
"I'm happy with their work. Bullish Luck and Russian Pearl are proven many times in this class. Floral Pegasus has yet to prove he can take this step-up but I think he can."
MUSTAMEET (IRE) - Barrier 11
Kevin Prendergast, trainer:
"I saw him for the first time since he left home this morning and I was very happy with him. He is a bit more mature than some of the ones he will be taking on here and he has taken the travel and settled in nicely. That's half the battle because otherwise you've lost before the race is run."
THE DUKE (HK) - Barrier 4
BOWMAN'S CROSSING (HK) - Barrier 8
Caspar Fownes, trainer:
"Happy with those draws, yeah. I think The Duke can win from there, really I do. Maybe I'm asking for the world and I know Armada is the one to beat, but he will get the perfect run from his alley and the other thing is that he is proven in this race, being placed twice, and it's fourth run of the year. Have a look at his record - every time it's his fourth run of the season he wins. He ran very well last time and Olivier [Doleuze, jockey] never drew the stick on him, plus he got crowded at the end.
"With Bowman's Crossing, we injected both his joints to keep him comfortable as he has had problems. A bit more cut in the ground would be nice for him but he's still in great form for a horse that was nearly retired. It's very nice to be going into a race like this with a live outsider's chance."
LINNGARI (SAF) - Barrier 13
Pleased connections with a turf gallop this morning. The draw was less to their liking.
Herman Brown, trainer:
"I'm not happy with that draw at all. It forces us to sit and ride more of a waiting race and to try and run them down in the last 200m."
DANCE IN THE MOOD (JPN) - Barrier 14
Worked well on the dirt 24.1 sec
Naruhito Kasai, work rider:
"She performed strongly in today's fast breeze and it was the exact time that I wanted. The outside draw 14 does not matter."
RAMONTI (ITY) - Barrier (12)
Worked on the dirt in 24.3 sec and connections plan a similar outing tomorrow.
Endo Botti, jockey:
"We are going to go on with him but he doesn't have to lead. As long as he is relaxed near the front it's okay."
JOYFUL WINNER (HK) - Barrier 2
"I wouldn't say he is peaking at the moment, but from gate two he will be a touch worse than midfield, but not right out the back. I think he has a rough outside chance.
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup
VENGEANCE OF RAIN (HK) - Barrier 2
David Ferraris, trainer:
"It's a fantastic barrier, I'm delighted with it. The horse is in great shape and it's been well reported how well his work has gone leading up to now. He will have one final blow tomorrow. His coat his shining and though I know that no horse has ever won back-to-back Cups before, I'm as confident now as I was last year when he won."
HELLO PRETTY (HK) - Barrier 6
His excellent blow out on the dirt in 21.3 sec certainly pleased connections.
Tony Cruz, trainer:
"He's spot-on. He's raring to go and he will run very well - it's a beautiful gate too: he will have a trouble-free run from six."
SATWA QUEEN (FR)- Barrier 5
Jean de Roualle, trainer:
"She took a little time to get over her trip back from the Breeders' Cup and lost a bit of weight and was very flat for a week or so. But then she started to pick up again very quickly, and when we got the invitation to Hong Kong I was able to start training her again. She's fairly easy to keep fit. She had her last piece of work before she shipped and will just canter between now and the race on the all weather - she doesn't need a turf gallop."
GROWL (AUS) - Barrier 7
David Hayes, trainer:
"I can assure you this horse is as well as he can possibly be. But as to whether he can win, I really don't know. This year the Cup looks particularly strong and racing right-handed is foreign to him but I'm confident that he is much better than his last performance [when 2nd in the Gr.1 Mackinnon Stakes] and I think he can easily run in the first three."
VIVA PATACA (HK) - Barrier 8
Topped off his preparation by working on the dirt in 23.8 sec
John Moore, trainer:
"He has come on in leaps and bounds since his last run. While this horse absolutely must have cover, from gate eight he has a few options. He has a very good each way chance if Soumillon can get him in."
ADMIRE MOON(JPN) - Barrier 4
Trainer Hiroyoshi Matsuda
"He is really relaxed and in good form. He did not gallop full speed today [clocked a time of 24.6 sec] but he liked the dirt track. He will be out on the turf course on Saturday to set him for the race. I think the turf course will suit him. The draw in four is also good. He is ready for the race."
PRIDE (FR) - Barrier 9
Christophe Lemaire, jockey:
"That's perfect, the draw. Not too much inside or outside."
"I just hope it won't be a slow pace and a tactical race as she can be a bit fresh and it could cause problems. But she knows this place, has had a great season and has got a big heart.
"I cannot say she is the best I have ever sat on because I've ridden some great horses like Heart's Cry and Divine Proportions over different distances. But she's retiring and I'm going to miss her an awful lot. Like Ouija Board, she is a star and she is good for racing in general."
DIA DE LA NOVIA(JPN) - Barrier 11
Zipped along the dirt well in 22.5 for big race jockey, Yuichi Fukunaga:
"She did it well, she looks great and is in good condition. She is very relaxed and answered me nicely in her gallop.
"The outside draw is better for me because I don't want to be sandwiched in the field if the pace isslow as some believeit will be."
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