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The world’s best turf miler Able Friend heads the 37 high-class nominations for the Group 1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin racecourse on Sunday, 3 May, with this 15th edition worth a lucrative HK$14 million.
The Champions Mile is ranked 17th in the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ (IFHA) World’s Top 100 Group 1 Races.
Able Friend was second in last year’s outstanding renewal of the Champions Mile. On that occasion, South Africa’s champion Variety Club powered to a brilliant triumph, winning by four lengths, that ended Hong Kong’s 100% win record in the race. With a series of four impressive victories on the board this season, including his last three at G1 level, Able Friend, currently rated second in the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, will attempt to press his claims for the top spot when he again takes on world class international opponents on the first Sunday in May.
With 26 potential overseas contenders from seven nations, as well as 10 other talented Hong Kong gallopers besides Able Friend nominated for this year’s Champions Mile, John Moore’s star will not have things all his own way. The race has attracted nine G1 winners and a further 21 G1-placed or G2/ G3 win or placed horses.
Ten Japanese horses have been nominated, including the talented World Ace who ran on late to claim fourth behind Able Friend in December’s G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile. Last Saturday’s G1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) winner Real Impact and G1 victor Curren Black Hill could also line up.
Australian G1 winners Suavito and Escado may make the journey to Sha Tin, as could a third Aussie nominee Pornichet, third in last season’s G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (1600m) and now trained by Gai Waterhouse. The top-class mare Suavito, trained by Nigel Blackiston, won the G1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) in February and landed the G2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) on 14 March.
Trade Storm from Britain landed the G1 Woodbine Mile last year and, since his fair seventh behind Able Friend in the Hong Kong Mile in December, the seven-year-old has placed second in the G1 Jebel Hatta (1800m) at Meydan earlier this month. David Simcock’s charge is one of seven UK nominees.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s triple G1 winner Gordon Lord Byron, who suffered a muscle injury when a below-par ninth to Able Friend in this month’s G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m), has been nominated along with compatriot Elleval, trained by David Marnane.
USA trainer Dale Romans could send his classy seven-year-old Prayer For Relief. Last season’s G1 Woodward Stakes (1800m) third is currently in Dubai preparing for the G2 Godolphin Mile, a race that Variety Club won en route to Sha Tin glory last term.
G1-placed candidates Farraaj from the UAE and New Zealand’s Fast Dragon are also among the talented nominees.
Along with Able Friend, the Hong Kong contingent features this season’s exciting HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner Luger, as well as the 2013 Champions Mile hero Dan Excel, 2013 G1 Hong Kong Mile victor Glorious Days, Hong Kong’s current Champion Miler Gold-Fun and the high-class Beauty Flame.
“The 2014 Champions Mile produced an epic performance in victory from South Africa’s Variety Club. This year’s nominations offer the promise of another great contest, with Able Friend, second last year, seeking to stamp his authority on the world mile division. But the Champions Mile is one of the top 20 G1 races in the world - it is never an easy race to win. With the usual raft of high-class milers nominated for this edition, nothing is guaranteed other than the fact that whichever horse wins on the day will need to produce a world-class effort,” said William A. Nader, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Executive Director of Racing.
