Hong Kong Diary: Graham Cunningham looks ahead to the HK International Races

By Graham Cunningham

Horse Racing

Tue December 03, 2024 · 1d ago

Graham Cunningham focuses on Wednesday’s LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship in his second diary instalment.

TK max as IJC Twelve head into the Valley

A dozen star jockeys sit deep in the bowels of a former cop shop complete with ancient cell blocks and you can go ahead and make your own jailhouse related jokes.

Set in the heart of HK’s Central district, the Tai Kwun complex is as striking as you would expect for a venue that took eight years to renovate at a cost of around £380m to the HKJC.

But, as the dynamic dozen pose for photos beside a spectacular Christmas tree, anyone who understands HK racing knows the four handicaps that make up Wednesday’s LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship are super tricky.

Points are awarded on a 12-6-4 basis to the first three home with mounts allocated by a programme designed to ensure riders receive a fair spread of chances.

Tactics and the draw will be every bit as important as usual, possibly more so, but let’s hope the following hints prove useful:

Spangle a sweet longshot

Leg one at 12.10 GMT features several front runners and the potential battle for the lead leaves me conflicted. I’m not the greatest fan of star Japanese rider Yuga Kawada and early market signals suggest punters aren’t too keen on SPICY SPANGLE.

But this gelding has improved of late, showing brazen speed to win at Sha Tin before finishing a good third at the Valley, and he looks the sort who could find a bit more and go well at a big price back at the minimum trip.

Keane chasing a Joyful return

Graham Cunningham shines the spotlight on Colin Keane

How does a horse who chased home Modern Games and Perfect Power in high-class juvenile races end up running off a mark of 56 in a Class 4? Viva Chaleur (formerly Trident for the Fabre stable) is 0-17 since coming to HK but there were signs of better to come last time and Moore is in the irons for leg two at 12.40 as he dons a hood for the first time.

The potential plot angle is strong but SURE JOYFUL scores just as well on several metrics. Ricky Yiu’s gelding is higher in the weights than when third in this last year but he returns in fine fettle and Colin Keane can be relied on to get the very best from him as he returns to HK for the first time since 2019.

Unicorn to fly high

King of the Valley Caspar Fownes rolls in heavy with three runners for leg three at 1.40, with recent winners Daring Pursuit and Jumbo Legend accompanied by 2023 IJC winner M Unicorn. Daring Pursuit and Ryan could be the best of the trio but SUPER UNICORN gets a narrow vote to go close in a race that could easily produce a blanket finish.

It would be wrong to describe Frankie Lor’s lightly raced gelding as a winner without a penalty – as he was demoted by the commissars after pipping Lovero in a thriller here recently – but a 3lb hike for that looks very fair and the inside gate looks an added plus as he bids to make amends under Barzalona.

Double figure draws are detrimental over 1200m at the Valley but, even if you dismiss the high numbers, the final leg at 2.10 is fiercely competitive.

Spicy Gold has gone from strength to strength, winning his last three and beating a pair who’ve won since on his latest start, but he’s up another 8lb and that man Keane looks a live danger aboard the bang-in-form KYRUS DRAGON.

David Hall’s gelding did well to pip recent scorer Gustosisimo on his reappearance, switching off heels to pounce late with Purton using largely hands and heels. Stall 2 looks ideal for a stalking trip and, albeit from limited HK evidence, Keane looks in his element when able to keep his head as rivals on aggressive front runners are losing theirs.

Dancer leads the morning parade

Some people feel it’s possible to separate the hawks from the pigeons just by watching horses go through their morning routine at these big global festivals.

I’ve yet to be convinced but it was hard not to feel something potent is brewing as a raft of global G1 horses loped out of the quarantine barn and onto the Sha Tin track on a golden Tuesday morning.

Oisin Orr is in town early to assist with Spirit Dancer’s HK Cup prep and Richard Fahey’s globetrotter was calmness itself as he led out a strong Euro party including Starlust, Giavellotto, The Foxes and Dubai Honour.

Harry Eustace’s Mile hope Docklands seemed full of pep as he eased through a turf gallop and Giavellotto still had energy to burn as he sweated and plunged his way back to base after an AW workout.

Murphy the man to help Giavellotto relax

Marco Botti’s chestnut clearly isn’t straightforward and didn’t help himself when last seen, getting in a state on the way to post then tilting his head across the adjacent stall before running third behind Kyprios and Vauban in the Irish Leger.

But cast your mind back the way Giavellotto laughed at Vauban in the Yorkshire Cup in the spring before stepping back to 2400m to run away with the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket in July.

International ratings suggest those wins warrant a mark of 119, which rates just 2lb below last year’s Melbourne Cup hero Without A Fight in the HK Vase pecking order.

Oisin Murphy is the man tasked with ensuring Giavellotto is a little less fiery on raceday. The pre-race challenge will be half the battle but, if he decides to settle, this is a highly strung hawk with the ability to fly under the radar at what should be a handy price.

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