Is This The Year of the Hong Kong Stayer?

[Wandering Eyes]

In a little less than seven weeks, some of the world’s best gallopers will converge on Sha Tin Racecourse for the 2018 Longines Hong Kong International Races.

Though locally based horses have largely dominated the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) and G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile and have won half the runnings of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m) over the last decade, Hong Kong horses have–by and large–failed to make any serious impact in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase. Since 2009, only Dominant (Ire) (Cacique {Ire}) has been feted post-race in 2013, while Willie Cazals (Ire) (Aussie Rules {Ire}) and Khaya (NZ) (Librettist) filled out the minors behind Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}) the following year. While it certainly won’t be an easy task come this December, a trio of Hong Kong stayers looks ready to make an impact.

Sunday’s G2 Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy H. (1600m) was won by reigning Horse of the Year and Hong Kong Mile hero Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}), but two of the race’s longer-winded types turned in very encouraging efforts over a trip well short of optimal. Eagle Way (Aus) (More Than Ready), who won the 2016 G1 Queensland Derby and the G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup over the metric mile and a half and was eighth in last year’s Vase, was having his second start this preparation and raced last but one into the final 800m before finishing his final two furlongs in :22.82 to grab third, a length ahead of MG1SW Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal), at a whopping 210-1.

“He was a big surprise,” trainer John Moore told South China Morning Post. “Eagle Way ran a good race, I was surprised on that firm track. I just said ‘ride him quietly and ride for luck’ and he got to the line really strong.”

Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was racing first-up for the current campaign in the Sha Tin trophy, having finished second to Pakistan Star in the G1 Champions and Chater Cup (2400m) ahead of a convincing season-ending defeat of Tony Cruz stablemate Gold Mount (GB) (Excellent Art {GB}) in the G3 Premier Plate H. in June. One spot in front of Eagle Way in the run in the Sha Tin Trophy, the 5-year-old closed off nicely in the last 400m, clocking a race-fastest :22.79 to fill fifth spot, beaten 3 1/2 lengths.

The aforementioned Gold Mount, third in the Champions and Chater, has yet to face the starter this term, but was given a searching barrier trial over 1700m at Happy Valley earlier this month in which he ran third to Glorious Forever (GB) (Archipenko), the upwardly mobile full-brother to last year’s Cup winner Time Warp (GB). Fifth beaten 3 1/2 lengths to Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) with some trouble in the 2017 Vase, Gold Mount could yet be heard from in December, though time seems to be ticking away.

The home team’s chances are perhaps slightly enhanced by an uncertain foreign presence, given the recent retirements of such 12-furlong specialists as G1 Dubai Sheema Classic winner Hawkbill (Kitten’s Joy) and G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. victor Poet’s Word (GB) (Poet’s Voice {GB}). Horses like 2017 Vase runner-up Talismanic (GB) (Medaglia d’Oro) and Waldgeist (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}), fourth to Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, are potential Vase challengers, pending their runs at the Breeders’ Cup meeting, while the future course of Arc third Cloth of Stars (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is also yet to be charted by Andre Fabre. Godolphin’s Best Solution (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Avilius (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) would be formidable challenger were they to continue on to Sha Tin following the G1 Melbourne Cup. This weekend’s G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Kyoto could also toss up a few challengers to try to follow in the hoofprints of 2016 Vase upsetter Satono Crown (Jpn) (Marju {Ire}), as could the G1 Japan Cup late next month.

It is anything but a fait accompli and it will certainly require a race stronger than any one of them has run to date, but in the form of Eagle Way, Exultant and, possibly, Gold Mount, Hong Kong is set to be represented by one of its most formidable Vase contingents in some time.

WATCH: Eagle Way, Exultant run on nicely in the Sha Tin Trophy

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