Hong Kong International Meeting 2016: Sunday Preview

Longines Hong Kong Vase (06:00 GMT)

The opening Group 1 of a stellar card revolves around last year’s winner Highland Reel, who has a few lb in hand of his rivals at his best. However, he has had a long campaign involving plenty of travel and there is a slight doubt that they may count against him. On the plus side, he is a hardy traveller, and followed a very similar path to this event last year, yet still had enough in the tank to see off Flintshire. At what is likely to be a short price, though, it may pay to look elsewhere.

French challenger Silverwave is capable of taking this at his best, but must put a poor Arc showing behind him, while Japanese mare Nuovo Record hasn’t had the best of years, although she bounced back to some sort of form with a win in a weak Grade 3 against her own sex at Del Mar last time. Strong stayer Big Orange didn’t cut much ice in the Melbourne Cup, but returned to form when subsequently just touched off in third in a Group 2, also in Australia. In what is a weak renewal, he could prove hard to catch from the front, and makes each-way appeal.

Recommendation: Back Big Orange (each-way)

Longines Hong Kong Sprint (06:40 GMT)

A wide open contest, with just 4 lb covering more than half the field on Timeform ratings. Local hope Lucky Bubbles and Japanese challenger Big Arthur are currently vying for favouritism, but both are worth taking on at the prices. The current value may lie with last year’s winner Peniaphobia and the eight-year-old Aerovelocity.

With the plum draw in stall 1, the narrow vote goes to Peniaphobia, who has struggled a bit to hit top form since that stunning win in last year’s contest, but is now a very big price if able to bounce back to his best. It should be noted that last year’s victory came when he had a poor draw, and he won’t need to use up anywhere near as much energy on the front-end this time. He is getting little respect in the betting considering how much ability he has, and is worth a small interest.

Recommendation: Back Peniaphobia (each-way)

Longines Hong Kong Mile (07:50 GMT)

On the subject of horses not getting the respect they deserve in the betting, that comment surely applies to Able Friend, who should be nowhere near a 5/1 shot in this contest. Indeed, he is likely to be much shorter on track as the locals will get stuck into their flagship horse. Disappointing when only third to Maurice in this last year, that effort came following a morning of the race injury scare, with Able Friend only declared fit to run after being checked over by the vet. Even so, a third-place finish to Maurice (now one of the best turf horses in the world) is no mean feat, especially with Able Friend unlikely to have been operating at 100%. His comeback run over six furlongs last month was just that, his race being run with very much one eye - if not both eyes - on this target. A fully-fit and firing Able Friend has plenty in hand, and he is taken to come right back to his best.

Recommendation: Back Able Friend

Longines Hong Kong Cup (08:30 GMT)

The Japanese look dominant in what is the highlight of the meeting, as they field the first four in the betting. Maurice and A Shin Hikari look the best hopes of those four, with Maurice in particular taking the eye as he looks to record yet another win at this meeting following his Mile victory last year. Maurice’s most recent win was an impressive success over Real Steel in the Tenno Sho Autumn (A Shin Hikari only twelfth), and in that sort of form he will take all the beating.

A Shin Hikari made all in this race last year and produced one of the most remarkable performances of 2016 when storming to a wide-margin win in the Prix d’Ispahan at Chantilly in May. Disappointing efforts followed at Royal Ascot and in the aforementioned Tenno Sho, but he is as talented as he is unpredictable, and it would be no surprise were he to return to his best here. However, the safest option looks to be to side with Maurice, who is much more likely to run his race.

Recommendation: Back Maurice