Trainer Francois Doumen is no
stranger to the Hong Kong International meeting, having saddled Jim and
Tonic (Fr) (Double Bed [Fr]) to victory in the 1998 Hong Kong Bowl (now Hong Kong
Mile) and the following year’s Hong Kong Cup. The conditioner
will be represented at this year’s event after it was announced on Saturday that SAMANDO (Hernando
[Fr]) has been added to the
field for next Sunday’s Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1).
The winner of the
Prix Exbury (Fr-G3) this past March, the five-year-old mare is winless in
her last six starts. Nevertheless, she has turned in some positive efforts, including
close fourth-place finishes to Warrsan (Caerleon) and Westerner (Danehill) in the Grosser Preis von Baden
(Ger-G1) and to Alcazar (Alzao) in the Prix Royal Oak (Fr-G1) in her most recent
start on October 23.