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Patrick Shaw accepted Rocket Man's wide barrier draw (barrier 13) in Sunday's International Sprint with some disappointment but quickly asserted his star sprinter would now definitely go forward from out there because that is what he does best.
Other reactions from trainers to the barrier draw are as follows;
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint
Ricky Yiu, trainer, Sacred Kingdom (14)
“I'm a little bit disappointed, it's the widest draw, but what can you do? We will possibly drop him in anyway, he's fresh and well so we'll see on Sunday.”Edward Lynham, trainer, Sole Power (8)
“It could have been a lot worse. He needs to settle and 8 is a good spot for him to get cover.”Ippo Sameshima, trainer, Pas de Trois (1)
“Inside would be preferable for us. I am happy with the draw.”Akiko Suzuki, wife of the owner of Curren Chan (11)
“We wanted to draw five, but there was nothing left. I think she does not want to be sandwiched, so gate eleven will be fine. Also, Rocket Man drew wider than us, which was good.”James Fanshawe, trainer, Society Rock (2)
“I would rather be in gate 2 than out wide, so have to be happy with that.”Roger Charlton, trainer, Bated Breath (12)
“Bated Breath was drawn wide in Canada (Gate 10 of 12), and nearly overcame that, so we'll just have to see what happens.”Brett Prebble, jockey, Lucky Nine (6)
“I just wanted him to draw a decent gate and he has, and I think he'll give this race a shake. I think the couple to beat might be Little Bridge as I'm sure they'll be delighted to have drawn 3, and I respect the Japanese horse Curren Chan. He needed to draw well and I'm more than happy with six.”Caspar Fownes, trainer, Lucky Nine and Green Birdie (4)
“They're both well drawn. I'm pleased with both of them. Lucky Nine had a slightly doubtful few weeks after coming back from Japan but he's freshened up now and been working nicely.”Derek Cruz, trainer, Joy And Fun (7)
“That's a very good draw for him. I'm happy with it as it gives him the option of taking a more forward position than he's taken recently. I'm happy with the horse too. He's in very good form.”John Size, trainer, Entrapment (5)
“It's a good gate. He's got good speed so it will be suitable for him. It should mean he'll be able to take a place in the first five or six.”Douglas Whyte, jockey, Entrapment
“He's drawn the plum gate and his last run was very good. He's got to lift a touch to win it but this draw certainly helps him.”Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile
Rodolphe Collet, trainer, Sahpresa (8)
“I am happy with number 8. It's better than number 9, which I picked last year. I seem to make some progress every year but I wish I was improving faster. I am told that 8 is a lucky number. Why don't they give me the winner's prize money straight away then?”Tony Cruz, trainer, Beauty Flash (10)
“He always seems to be drawn wide, he won from 14 last year, so I'm not bothered by the 10 gate. He likes to lead and he has the speed to be up there and get it.”Thierry Jarnet, jockey, Rajsaman (4)
“Rajsaman is made for such contests as this. He can relax off the pace and finish well, just like he did here last year. Where he is drawn is irrelevant.”Sakae Kunieda, trainer, Apapane (9)
“I wanted to take draw 7, but number 9 is close. No worry about the draw.”Roger Charlton, trainer, Cityscape (12)
“I can't believe it. Up first in both races and I draw 12 both times! What are the chances of that?”John Moore, trainer, Xtension (5)
“Xtension is my major hope on Sunday. He has been absolutely primed for it, his work and his races leading up to it have been very positive and for that reason, from Gate 5, I think he is the horse to beat in the race.”Caspar Fownes, trainer, Fair Trade (3)
“He's had problems with his legs but he's an absolute star. Now he's well drawn we'll keep our fingers crossed.”John Bary, trainer, Jimmy Choux (2)
“I'm very happy with that gate. We can sit in behind the pace or he can do it from the front if that's what his jockey wants. Jonathan (Riddell) knows him so well. That's why he's riding him. I'm very pleased with the horse. When he was alone in quarantine I was a bit worried but I was happy with him yesterday, and thrilled with him today.”John Size, trainer, Sichuan Success (13)
“It's not the perfect gate and it gives him a bit to do. We'll probably have to try and get him a bit closer to the pace than last time.”Douglas Whyte, jockey, Sichuan Success
“I thought his last run was terrific and I was starting to think he could have some chance in this tough race but from gate 13 he's going to have his work cut out now.”Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup
Corine Barande-Barbe, trainer, Cirrus des Aigles (2)
“I asked her co-owner Jean-Claude Dupouy to draw himself because he's a lucky man. Two years ago, Jean-Jacques (Poincelet, assistant trainer) got number 12 while last year, I got the 13 draw! We have a much better start here as there are only ten runners and we got a good draw with the stall number 2.”Tony Cruz, trainer, California Memory (1) and Pure Champion (3)
“California Memory has a very good draw in 1, I'm very happy with that because we don't lose ground at the start and we can settle him out the back.”“Pure Champion is in 3, so that's good too. He will be sitting off the pace and can come with a run. I'm very happy with the horses.”
John Moore, trainer, Irian (10)
“Irian is drawn Gate 10 but he's not a horse that likes to be hemmed in, he likes to get out a little wide of everybody, maybe three deep with cover. Darren Beadman reported after his gallop this morning that he's peaking at the right time. We're going into the race with a lot of confidence that we can finish in the first three.”Douglas Whyte, jockey, Ambitious Dragon (5)
“It's a lovely gate. Perfect draw and from there I'll have options. I'll go home and do a little more work on the race but I doubt that I'd ride him forward. I'm happy for him to settle and make use of his great turn of foot. He is one of the best horses I've ridden.”Charles Hills, trainer, Ransom Note (4)
“In the Cup we were last up and were handed 4, which is a good draw.”Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase
John Hammond, trainer, Sarah Lynx (4)
“I am happy with the draw although it does not really matter on such a long trip. Sarah Lynx enjoys her travelling and seems to have settled well here. In Japan, she got bumped early on and found herself in a difficult position to come back against tough horses who never let go - she did her best. I think that the Japan Cup winner, Buena Vista, would be favourite here and that the Tokyo form could prove itself the best here.”Brett Prebble, jockey, Thumbs Up (1)
“I'm happy to be drawn on the inside. We can take up a reasonably handy position from there. This horse is in top form and I have no doubt he'll run 2400m.”Yasutoshi Ikee, trainer, Trailblazer (8)
“This is a two-lap race, and it is expected to be a slow pace, so I did not want to be boxed in on the rail. Draw 8 is a perfect number. He handles things from any position and if he settles in a favourable position in the race, he must have a chance.”Thierry Jarnet, jockey, Silver Pond (2)
“I wish we'd drawn a wider position for Silver Pond in the Vase because he has got that long stride and he's not the easiest horse to manoeuvre. He's not a consistent galloper and can be rather awkward to drive.”Charles Hills, trainer, Redwood (12)
“He's in very good nick and his second to Rewilding shows how good he can be. He loves travelling and he had no luck in Canada last time where the ground turned soft on him which is not what he really wants. In the 2400m Vase I am not sure that the draw matters as much as luck in running. That draw should be no problem because he can be a bit slow away anyway.”The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup – 11 December 2011
Barrier Draw Results
Horse No. Horse Name Representing Draw No.
1 CIRRUS DES AIGLES FR 22 AMBITIOUS DRAGON HK 5
3 BYWORD FR 64 DURBAN THUNDER GER 7
5 IRIAN HK 106 CALIFORNIA MEMORY HK 1
7 ZAZOU GER 88 RANSOM NOTE GB 4
9 PURE CHAMPION HK 310 JACOBEE HK 9
The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile – 11 December 2011
Barrier Draw Results
Horse No. Horse Name Representing Draw No.
1 CITYSCAPE GB 122 JIMMY CHOUX NZ 2
3 RAJSAMAN FR 4
4 BEAUTY FLASH HK 105 XTENSION HK 5
6 ABLE ONE HK 77 FLYING BLUE HK 6
8 DESTINED FOR GLORY HK 19 FAIR TRADE HK 3
10 SICHUAN SUCCESS HK 1311 FAT CHOY OOHLALA HK 11
12 DUBAWI GOLD GB 1413 SAHPRESA FR 8
14 APAPANE JPN 9The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase – 11 December 2011
Barrier Draw Results
Horse No. Horse Name Representing Draw No.
1 TRAILBLAZER JPN 82 JAKKALBERRY GB 13
3 SILVER POND FR 2
4 CAMPANOLOGIST UAE 65 DUNADEN FR 3
6 MIGHTY HIGH HK 117 MR MEDICI HK 5
8 REDWOOD GB 129 THUMBS UP HK 1
10 RED CADEAUX GB 711 SUPER SATIN HK 9
12 SARAH LYNX FR 413 VADAMAR FR 10
The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint – 11 December2011
Barrier Draw Results
Horse No. Horse Name Representing Draw No.
1 ROCKET MAN SIN 132 SACRED KINGDOM HK 14
3 BATED BREATH GB 124 LUCKY NINE HK 6
5 SOCIETY ROCK GB 26 LITTLE BRIDGE HK 3
7 ENTRAPMENT HK 58 SOLE POWER IRE 8
9 GREEN BIRDIE HK 410 ADMIRATION HK 10
11 PAS DE TROIS JPN 112 RICH UNICORN HK 9
13 JOY AND FUN HK 714 CURREN CHAN JPN 11