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A trio of turf gallops at Sha Tin this morning gave some hint as to the well-being of three leading local hopes ahead of Sunday’s Longines Hong Kong International Races.
Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year, Designs On Rome, stepped onto the floodlit circuit sometime around 6.15am and set off in company with his John Moore stable mate Approve, a fair yardstick with a current Hong Kong rating of 93.
Designs On Rome travelled well and clicked through the gears down the stretch to edge ahead as the duo flashed past the winning post. The Holy Roman Emperor gelding appeared to be well within his comfort zone under Joao Moreira as he ran 1200m in 1m 18.3s (26.0s, 29.1s, 23.2s). Last season’s G1 QEII Cup and HKG1 Hong Kong Derby winner is a leading contender for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m).
Moore and Moreira also got a good gauge on Dominant who will aim for a repeat win in Sunday’s G1Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m). The Cacique entire did much the same as Designs On Rome and was well on top of Longines Hong Kong Cup runner Same World, under Nash Rawiller, in clocking 1m 19.2s (27.4s, 28.6s, 23.2s).
“I’m happy with that,” said Moore. “They all worked well and both Dominant and Designs On Rome will go out again on Friday. I’ll put them on the all-weather on Friday and they’ll both go three-quarter pace.”
Moreira was satisfied with the work too: “Designs On Rome worked really well this morning on the grass. We went quite a strong gallop – they had a little bit of a slow but it’s like we just adjusted the screws and I’m very happy with the way he pulled up, and I’m sure he’s going to be ready on Sunday.
“Dominant crossed the line full of himself and he probably worked the best of them so I’m looking forward to him on the weekend. He’s definitely going to be a good ride.”
Between times, Richard Gibson gave his Longines Hong Kong Mile candidate Gold-Fun a spin on the turf under Douglas Whyte. Last year’s Mile runner-up looked to be enjoying things as he bossed his workmate Great Charm (HK rating 75) in the closing stages and passed the post with his ears pricked. The five-year-old Irish import clocked 1m 24.5s for the 1200m but quickened home for a final 400m split of 22.8s.
“He felt great, his action was clean and he felt pretty sharp,” said Whyte.