- This topic has 3 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 7 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Champions Mile sees Good Ba Ba (Schutz / Soumillon) favourite to repeat last year’s win. He did it then from draw 4, he did it in November in the CX HK mile from draw 7, he did it in January’s Steward’s Cup from draw 9, and tomorrow he has to do it from draw 10.
Fellow 7yo Egyptian Ra (Cruz / Coetzee) has beaten him twice this season, once in the CX Mile trial and last time over 1400, and has draw 1 here, but has yet to get into the 120s which the fav has done routinely on the big days. (The fav is the only G1 winner in the field at 1600m.)
The 4yos seem to have the best prospect of causing an upset.
Collection (Moore / Beadman) won the listed Hampton Court at Ascot before impressing in the G1 HK Derby last month. Both of those were at 2000m, though he won his Bath maiden over 1400 and has a HK handicap win at 1800. Looks an international G1 winner of the future, but question is whether that will be over this shorter 1600. Highest rating to date is 113.
Alexandros (Suroor / Dettori) came 3rd at 40/1 behind Gladiatorus in the Dubai Duty Free last month under Kinane after two handicap wins in Dubai under Frankie, who makes the trip for this sole ride. Ran to 114 last time.
More Bountiful (Size / Whyte) finished 5.75 lengths 5th behind Collection in the HK Derby, but then three weeks ago won the G2 Chairman’s Trophy over 1600m with a performance that saw his rating leap from 102 to 116.
Early fixed prices from Centrebet:
RACE 7:
2.7 Good Ba Ba
4.0 Collection
5.5 Egyptian Ra
8.5 More Bountiful
11.0 Alexandroshttp://centrebet.com/cust?action=GoRaci … tab=racing
HK tote prices here:
http://bet.hkjc.com/default.aspx?url=/r … px?lang=en
For an outside bet at 41.0, I’ll go with IMBONGI (de Kock / Shea) who has won three G2s in South Africa. Failed to win in three Dubai starts (in one of which he came 4th to Gladiatorus), and did not qualify for the Dubai Duty Free but his last run saw his best rating at 115.
de Kock says of him : “He’s a four-year-old on the way up. He was just short, probably a half length or a length short of Group One in South Africa, but he ran well in Dubai on Super Thursday behind Balius, who finished second in the QE II last year so he’s a pretty decent guideline.”
Collection can win at 1600m, since he clocked a :21 final 400m in the Hong Kong Derby and almost won at 1400m in a Class 1 on debut.
There’s a quote from John Moore in Sunday’s SCMP:
==============
"Everyone knows the reason we split them [Collection and Viva Pataca] in these races today is to give Viva Pataca a better chance to win another QEII and get the recognition I believe he hasn’t received as one of the superstars of racing in Hong Kong," Moore said yesterday…….
"The two will clash in the [Citi] Champions & Chater Cup, but I wanted Viva Pataca to have one more shot at an international event without having to worry about the younger star…."
==============
So the 1600 seemingly not the trainer’s first choice for Collection, but Saturday’s rain which turned the going to the yielding side of good is seen as a big negative for Good Ba Ba and corresponding positive for Collection.
Sunday has dawned overcast but dry so far.
story behind the 65/1 win:
http://racing.scmp.com/freeservice/news … 90427a.asp
Collection was one-paced in the closing stages and finished fifth, behind fellow favourite Good Ba Ba who is known not to like it yielding.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.