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Aidan O'Brien hopes step up in distance will help Order Of Australia break duck in Hong Kong Cup

3 minute read

Aidan O'Brien is bidding to land the Hong Kong Cup for the first time with Order Of Australia on Sunday.

Order Of Australia and Stevie Ryder pictured at morning workout ahead of The Breeders Cup. Picture: Pat Healy Photography

The Wexford handler is no stranger to success at the Longines Hong Kong International meeting and sends another strong team intent on getting some black type.

The Irishman saddles both Stone Age and Broome in the 12-furlong Vase, which he has won twice before. But he has yet to taste glory in the 10-furlong Cup and Order Of Australia will be hoping the step up in distance helps O'Brien break his duck in the £357,000 race.

Ryan Moore will pilot the outsider, who has done the majority of his racing over a mile.

The five-year-old's biggest win came in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Mile and he followed that with sixth place behind Golden Sixty in the Group One Hong Kong mile at Sha Tin.

Before that he did win over a mile and a half in a minor event at the Curragh as a three-year-old and a return to the longer distance will hopefully pay off this weekend.

"He's been running all the time over a mile, but we always thought stepping up over a mile and a quarter would improve him more," O'Brien said. "He's obviously by Australia and we're very happy with him, we'll see what happens on Sunday.

"He has won over seven furlongs twice as well, so we kept him at a mile after the Breeders' Cup win, but we'd think there's a pretty good chance that (10 furlongs) will be fine."

"Obviously you need horses that don't mind travel, have experience and are still in good shape," he said.

"It's a fantastic meeting, we speak to a lot of people who will tell you it's a great day. We always like to be involved and are delighted to be invited, especially for very competitive, high-class racing."

Danny Shum's Romantic Warrior is the 2/1 favourite, while Order Of Australia can be backed at 33/1.