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There is an air of anticipation around Sha Tin this week as Hong Kong’s leading four-year-olds prepare for Sunday’s HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile, the first big test on the road to the BMW Hong Kong Derby in March
The starting point in the three-leg Hong Kong Four-Year-Old Series promises to live up to its “Classic” handle with a field of 12 engaged, a clutch of which already carry big reputations and great expectations.
Among the select band is the talented trio of Flagship Shine, Able Friend and Designs On Rome, who, along with their smart stablemate Secret Sham, give trainer John Moore a strong hand in the 1600m contest.
Add to the mix last season’s Champion Griffin All You Wish, trained by Dennis Yip, and the usual classy imports from Europe, such as British G3 winner Dundonnell from the Ricky Yiu stable, and the stage is set for an exciting contest.
Of Moore’s quartet, Flagship Shine and Able Friend appear to be the stable’s leading lights for the Classic Mile.
“It’s really exciting from my stable’s point of view, and for racegoers, to see two really good horses go up against each other,” said the trainer.
“I look upon these two horses as having the potential, in time, to go and compete on the world stage. I can’t separate them – I think they’re top level Group 1 horses in the making.”
Flagship Shine, the current top-rated horse in the field with a local rating of 118, has ascended through the Hong Kong ranks over the past two seasons and will arrive at the Classic Mile with plenty of experience under his saddle.
The Tale Of The Cat gelding has won six of nine starts and heads into Sunday on the back of two Class 1 wins over 1400m.
Fellow Australian import Able Friend made a winning Hong Kong debut in June last year and is two from three this term, with a hat-trick on the cards for Sunday after notching a brace of Class 2 wins at 1400m and a mile.
“Flagship Shine has done everything right,” said Moore.
“He’s an out and out miler, the question is whether he can go farther over time, but horses of his class can often have the talent to stretch out over longer.
"Able Friend is one that will get over much more ground but he’s a seriously talented galloper.”
Both geldings lined up in a 1200m all-weather barrier trial on 7 January. Flagship Shine cruised home in front under big-race pilot Douglas Whyte but the Joao Moreira-ridden Able Friend looked to have plenty in the tank too as he ran home third.
“I wasn’t here for the barrier trials the other day but I watched the videos,” said Moore, fresh back from a visit to the Magic Millions sale in Australia.
“Flagship Shine loves that dirt surface and just floated across the ground. We expected him to trial like that.
"Able Friend is maybe not as comfortable on the dirt but his trial was full of merit and he is on target for this race.”
A horse that has already proven himself in G1 company, at least to some degree, is Designs On Rome.
The Irish import was second to Dawn Approach in the G1 National Stakes at the Curragh as a juvenile and has won two from four in Hong Kong.
Moore’s prime BMW Hong Kong Derby hope flashed home late to win the Class 1 Chevalier Cup over the course and distance back in November. He hasn’t started since but the Holy Roman Emperor gelding caught the eye when mid-pack in a 1000m turf barrier trial last week.
“We all know Designs On Rome is crying out for more ground,” said Moore.
“He’s very talented also and his trial was really good over an inadequate distance. I don’t think he’d be as strong as the other two over the mile but it’s a good lead-in to the Hong Kong Classic Cup and the Derby – it’s a run a month.
“Secret Sham probably won with a little bit in hand last time,” added Moore of his remaining runner.
“He’s done everything right leading into Sunday but I have my doubts about him being up to the class of Flagship Shine and Able Friend.
"But if he were to draw a good gate and get a soft run he couldn’t be ruled out.”
Tony Cruz is set to saddle Helene Super Star, last on his sole Hong Kong start at the beginning of this month but successful in the G2 UAE Derby last term, as well as Hong Kong debutant Photon Willie, a four-time winner in Australia.
The Michael Chang-trained Dibayani was a Listed winner in Ireland and ran a promising fourth on his Hong Kong bow on 29 December.
The Tony Millard-trained Super Lifeline steps up from a recent Class 3 win, while Glorious Sunday from the John Size stable followed a pair of 1400m Class 3 wins with a smart second in Class 2 company over 1800m last start.
The Sean Woods-trained Good Choice completes the 12.
Able Friend, All You Wish, Designs On Rome, Dundonnell and Flagship Shine are Hong Kong Rising Stars for the 2013/2014 season, as selected by HKJC’s specialist TV racing commentators.
The popular Rising Stars campaign affords race fans opportunities to support their favourite emerging heroes via an interactive platform and offers them chances to win prizes along the way.
The HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile is the first of three legs that comprise the Hong Kong Four-Year-Old Series.
The second leg, the HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m), will take place on Sunday, 16 February and the concluding leg, the HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby, is on Sunday, 16 March.
