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Ambitious Dragon heads an all-star list for the Jockey Club Races at Sha Tin on Sunday featuring the e G2 Jockey Club Cup, G2 Jockey Club Mile and the G2 Jockey Club Sprint.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The three prestigious contests are the premier lead-up races to the Longines Hong Kong International Races on Sunday December 9.
Ambitious Dragon heads 11 entries for the Jockey Club Mile as connections weigh up whether to contest the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m) or G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile.
Glorious Days, runner-up to the brilliant Ambitious Dragon in the recent HKG2 Sha Tin Trophy, is also engaged, as are dual G1 Champions Mile hero Xtension and last season’s HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile winner Sweet Orange.
The 16-strong local entry for the Jockey Club Sprint includes Little Bridge, winner of the G1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, and Lucky Nine, the reigning G1 Hong Kong Sprint champion.
Hong Kong’s two highest-rated sprinters were last seen finishing out of the frame in Japan’s G1 Sprinters Stakes in September.
The race could well pit that pair against Singapore’s star horse, Super Easy, beaten just once in 13 starts and winner of the SG1 Singapore Guineas.
Also engaged are Cerise Cherry, winner of the HKG2 Premier Bowl over the course and distance on 28 October, and the emerging hope Time After Time.
The Jockey Club Cup has attracted 13 entries, including last season’s G1 Hong Kong Cup winner California Memory.
Irian has been runner-up in the past two renewals of that race, while Zaidan was second in the G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup in May.
Fay Fay took the HKG1 Hong Kong Derby last term and the well-regarded Packing Whiz impressively landed the recent HKG3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse from Dominant and is unbeaten in two this season.