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An outstanding array of world class talent drawn from 12 nations/regions is prominent among the entries for Hong Kong's two international showpiece events this spring, the G1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the G1 BMW Champions Mile.
Staged over 2000m at Sha Tin on 29 April, the APQEII Cup promises to be a clash of the titans. The 95 entries includes no less than 29 Group 1 winners, among them local superstar Ambitious Dragon (seeking back-to-back wins in the race) and Europe's two highest-rated 10-furlong runners, Cirrus Des Aigles and former Australian powerhouse So You Think. That pair fought out a pulsating finish to the G1 Champion Stakes at Ascot in October, with the French hero Cirrus Des Aigles narrowly prevailing.
So You Think, an exceptional eight-time G1 victor in Australia, Britain and Ireland, is one of three entries for Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien, the others being G1 Irish Derby winner Treasure Beach and Royal Ascot G2 Hardwicke Stakes winner Await The Dawn.
South African handler Mike de Kock landed the spoils in 2006 with Irridescence and in 2008 thanks to Archipenko. He has entered a strong contingent that includes G1 victors Master Of Hounds, Mahbooba, Musir, River Jetez and Bold Silvano, as well as the up and coming Mutahadee.
Presvis, successful in 2009, spearheads a potential British raiding party that could include last season's G1 Prix Ganay hero Planteur, while Japan's Eishin Flash, winner of the 2010 G1 Japanese Derby, may aim to become the first victor for his homeland since Eishin Preston scored the second of his wins in 2003.
Godolphin has engaged the Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained pair of G1 winners Biondetti and Capponi, the latter successful in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 earlier this month. Meanwhile G1 Hollywood Derby winner Haimish Hy leads a contingent of six entrants from the USA.
As well as Ambitious Dragon, last year's runner-up and G1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup hero California Memory is among an exciting raft of entries from Hong Kong that includes recent HKG1 Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby first and second, Fay Fay and Same World, alongside Xtension who has finished runner-up to Ambitious Dragon on his last two starts.
The John Moore-trained Xtension is also engaged to attempt consecutive wins in the G1 BMW Champions Mile on 6 May, having taken the prize last year from fellow entrant and G1 CXHK Sprint victor Lucky Nine. Those two local heroes are among 71 entries for the prestigious contest, 18 of which have scored in G1 company.
Crack French filly Immortal Verse is a dual G1 winner at the distance and defeated the great Goldikova to win the Prix Jacques le Marois in August, while Excelebration from the Aidan O'Brien yard won last season's G1 Prix du Moulin and found only the mighty Frankel too good in the G1 QEII Stakes at Ascot.
Willyconker, trained in the USA by Doug O'Neill, won the G1 Frank E Kilroe Mile Stakes on 4 March, while Australian representation could come from G1 Emirates Stakes victor Albert The Fat, as well as G1 Chipping Norton Stakes one-two Shoot Out and Danleigh.
Among the Hong Kong entries are Fay Fay, as well as his John Size-trained stable mate, the rising star Glorious Days, and two-time winner of the race Able One, triumphant in this season's G1 CXHK Mile.
“Once again the outstanding entries from across the globe for both the APQEII Cup and the BMW Champions Mile emphasise the appeal of Hong Kong racing's major events on the world stage,” said William A Nader, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Executive Director of Racing. “The calibre of entries this year is exceptional with international superstars like So You Think, Cirrus Des Aigles, Immortal Verse and Hong Kong's brilliant champion Ambitious Dragon among 36 Group 1 winners entered for our two spring highlights. With a further 74 entries placed at that level or successful in Group company, we can look forward to two fantastic Group 1 races.”
