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Hong Kong will be the next port of call for a number of the beaten international runners in last Tuesday's Melbourne Cup, namely My Quest For Peace and defending Vase winner Dunaden.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The international contingent was in good health at Werribee on Wednesday as their connections mapped out where they head from Australia with several likely to head towards the big Asian meetings in the next month.
The Hong Kong Vase (2000m) at Sha Tin on December 9 will be a target for several runners.
Dunaden won the Vase last year just weeks after his 2011 Melbourne Cup triumph and his trainer Mikel Delzangles is set to follow the same path despite the stayer's disappointing effort on Tuesday.
Delzangles said a decision on Dunaden's immediate future will not be finalised until next week but the Hong Kong Vase is the preferred option.
“He looks a bit tired but nothing abnormal,” Delzangles said.
“We will see how he recovers and if he recovers well he will go to Kong Kong.”
Delzangles said that Dunaden's huge effort to win the Caulfield Cup might have taken more out of the horse than he had initially believed.
Charlie Henson, foreman for Luca Cumani, said Mount Athos and My Quest For Peace had come up well after their Cup efforts.
Henson said they will be taking different paths, with Mount Athos to target the Japan Cup while My Quest For Peace will head to the Hong Kong Vase.
“We'll just see how they do over the next few days but they appear to have come through their Cup runs well so will likely push on,” Henson said.
Americain's trainer Alain de Royer Dupre said that the 2010 Cup winner had come through his disappointing Melbourne Cup run in good order as he prepares to farewell the grand stayer into retirement.
De Royer Dupre has Herbert Power Stakes winner Shahwardi running in the G3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday and is planning to press on to the Hong Kong Vase.
Godolphin's Cup runner Cavalryman came through his run well and holds an entry for the Hong Kong Vase.
Tommy Strang, travelling foreman for his trainer Saeed bin Suroor, said a decision on a start would be made over the weekend.
The Dermot Weld trained Galileo's Choice is also entered in the Hong Kong Vase.
