The famous Hong Kong International Races are set to take place on December 11 at Sha Tin Racecourse including the Hong Kong Sprint 2016 where Australia will be dually represented on Sunday.
Takedown has settled into Hong Kong well ahead of his Group 1 run at Sha Tin this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.
Last start Group 1 winners Rebel Dane and Takedown are the Australian-trained horses in the 14 horse HK$18.5 million (AUD$3.2 million) Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) field.
The first 11 Hong Kong Sprint winners were Australian-bred but the sole Aussie trained galloper to take out the feature was the Danny Bougoure-trained Flavelon in 2000 and 2001.
Best fancied of the two Oz horses this year, the Gary Moore-trained Takedown was last seen taking out Perth’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) on November 26.
A four-year-old son of Stratum, Takedown sits at $10 in the latest Hong Kong Sprint odds at Ladbrokes.com.au and travelled beautifully according to Moore.
“We really couldn’t be happier and we’ve got a horse who is on the up,” Moore told the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
“It’s unbelievable, he’s only four but he’s like a proper veteran and has travelled to Hong Kong really well.
“Some horses lose a lot of weight in travelling but not him, and it helps that he loves eating. We just hope he gets a good gate later in the week.”
Gary Portelli’s California Dane stallion Rebel Dane posted his first win in over 12 months last time out when scoring an upset at $61 in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 21.
He’s longer in Hong Kong Sprint betting paying $19 to beat home a class field of sprinters from all across the globe.
Race favourite at $3.60 is the Francis Lui-trained Lucky Bubbles to be ridden by Brett Prebble.
Last time out the five-year-old gelding narrowly beat home fellow weekend rival Not Listenin’tome in the Group 2 Jockey Club Sprint and is in flying form.
He held out our super sprinter Chautauqua in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint (1200m) at the track and distance in the winter and can be ridden on or off the pace making him versatile and hard to hold out.
The other best fancied are the Kenichi Fujioka-trained Japanese sprinter Big Arthur ($5) who is capable of blistering late sectionals and Red Falx ($7.50) who also represents Japan in the race.
Prepared by Tomohito Ozeki, Red Falx is one of Japan’s best sprint stars and is especially efficient on dirt tracks.
Australian Zac Purton has the ride on the Paul O’Sullivan-trained Aerovelocity this weekend, the veteran eight-year-old gelding after another win in the race after success in 2014.
Aerovelocity is an elite sprinter with top level wins in Japan, Singapore and at home in Hong Kong on his impressive record.
The galloper may be getting on in years but his evergreen status was proven with the big run behind Not Listenin’tome and Lucky Bubbles last time out and he looks set to peak in the Hong Kong Sprint.
The defending Hong Kong Sprint winner Peniaphobia meanwhile pays $17 to go back-to-back in the race.
Trained by Tony Cruz the five-year-old is a super consistent galloper who also ran second in the 2014 edition of the Hong Kong Sprint.
This season he comes off the same lead-up that produced his 2015 success and he will be likely up on the pace looking to go all-the-way.
Head to Ladbrokes.com.au now to view the full Hong Kong Sprint 2016 betting odds and options.
