DUBAI TURF FORM STRONG IN HONG KONG

Dubai World Cup night form shined in Hong Kong on Sunday with a pair of second-place finishes in the four rich Group 1 affairs. In the Hong Kong Mile (G1), 2017 Dubai Turf winner and 2018 runner-up Vivlos (above, left) said farewell to her fans in her career finale with a fine runner-up effort to Beauty Generation, the world’s top-rated miler, in the Hong Kong Mile (G1). The winner is now considering a run in the Dubai Turf of 2019 and is already listed by many as a heavy early favourite.

In the Hong Kong Cup (G1), the top race of the day, Deirdre (above, right), who finished just behind Vivlos when third in this year’s Dubai Turf, was a flying second in the 2000m race. Said effort backed up her rising profile and an arguably unexposed trajectory that could again cross paths with the expansive Meydan turf course in March.

In the Hong Kong Vase (G1) over 2400m, vastly improved Dubai World Cup Carnival winner Prince of Arran, an also-ran in the Dubai Gold Cup (G2), was a wide eighth, losing all chance with the poor draw and an even worse start. Crocosmia, seventh in the 2018 Dubai Turf, finished a lacklustre 10th.
In that race, it is worth following some of the shorter-priced horses moving forward in 2019. Three of the favourites are reportedly eying Dubai World Cup night, including Waldgeist, a hard-luck fifth, who is possible for the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1). Others looking at possibly heading to Dubai include runner-up and rising Japanese star Lys Gracieux and Hong Kong’s massively talented Pakistan Star.

Dubai Racing Club | Andrew Watkins
QUICK HITS: Peter Gelagotis-trained Aussie sprinter Illustrious Lad, a solid fifth in the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) in March, returned from a long layoff last month and appears to racing himself into fine shape for his connections. The 7-year-old son of I Am Invincible was impressive on Dec. 8 winning the Listed City of Marion Stakes at Morphettville in his native country. The effort followed a comeback run when ninth in the Listed Absolut Stakes on Nov. 8 and then a fifth of 11 in the Kevin Heffernan Stakes (G3) nine days later. His connections have stated that they wish to return to the Al Quoz Sprint, which has been doubled in purse to $2 million this year… Lost amid the buzz following the open-length victory by Walking Thunder on Thursday at Meydan was the superb runner-up performance on debut of well-bred 2-year-old colt Bila Shak. After what was not exactly a perfect trip, the Fawzi Nass-trained (and owned) bay colt ran gamely up the rail to close sharply into a clear second-best over the 1600m trip. By Scat Daddy, the grand-looking charge is a half-brother to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) runner-up Giovanni Boldini, who was also fourth in the 2014 UAE Derby (G2).