The French team at the December 12 Hong Kong International Races meeting is
probably the largest ever gathered abroad: 10 invited Gallic Thoroughbreds will
line up in three of the four international Group 1 races.
They did not fly on the same plane, though, as those horses come from all
parts of the world. Most will fly from Europe, but CIRRUS DES AIGLES (Even Top
[Ire]) and SAHPRESA (Sahm) came from their most recent race in Japan, while
AMERICAIN (Dynaformer) was among the very first visitors on duty at Sha Tin,
boasting a brand new Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1) tag on his tack case.
Americain is a very special horse to French sportsmen. On November 2, he
became the first French horse to win the Melbourne Cup at Flemington. He also
was the first challenger flown from France to line up in the “race that stops a
nation.”
His trainer, Alain de Royer Dupre, is a longtime acquaintance of the Hong
Kong fans. He likes the international meeting more than any other French trainer
and has become a master in getting his horses fit for the December extravaganza
since Pride finished second in the 2005 Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1), only to win the
prize a year later.
Yet, the Melbourne Cup was something of a new challenge to him as the
quarantine to race in Australia is pretty strict for visiting horses.
“It was quite a trek as the horse had to remain two weeks in Britain and
three weeks in his quarantine barn in Australia,” de Royer Dupre said. “For a
trainer, it is a bit difficult too, as you are away most of the time and cannot
monitor the situation as well as at home. Thankfully, the two girls who take
care of him, his morning rider Louise and his lass Stephanie, are both very
gifted and dedicated.”
Americain arrived in Hong Kong with a star status he hardly could boast on
his way Down Under. Now that he’s won one of the hardest races in the world, the
story is completely different and he surely will not start at such long odds —
he paid 12.30 at the Flemington tote.
“I think he’s still maturing,” de Royer Dupre noted. “He’s five years old but
I think there is plenty to come.”
INDIAN DAYS (Daylami [Ire]), in contrast, is one of three
That he will be in Hong Kong is a surprise and a delight to his owner
“We are delighted to have got into the race,” he enthused. “The
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Yet a year ago the chances of Indian Days making the line-up for a race such
as the Vase would have been remote. Winless since taking a handicap at Goodwood
in July 2008, Indian Days had appeared, to use the British racing jargon, a
twilight horse.
As his owner put it, he looked to be “in the twilight zone between
exceptional handicapper and just below Group class. But because he was so
consistent and always tried so hard, the handicapper never relented, and he
couldn’t win a race.”
But that all changed when eventually almost two years to the day after his
last win, Indian Days got his head in front in a 10-furlong handicap, again at
Goodwood. Given was less than delighted when the handicapper promptly put him up
eight pounds for the win and made his feelings known.
“I phoned the handicapper and said I didn’t think that as a five-year-old he
had that sort of improvement in him,” Given said. “Then he went to Turkey and
won the Bosphorus Cup — the same handicapper was kind enough to phone and
congratulate me, and I had to eat my words. He’s gone up another seven ponds
since.”
Given can’t explain the improvement in his horse at this stage in his career,
other than attributing it to the fact that he’s a son of Daylami (Ire), and some
of his stock can be slow to mature.
“The performance in Istanbul was very solid. He had (Hong Kong Cup contender)
Sri Putra (Oasis Dream [GB]) in second, and Sri Putra is a Group 2 winner and
was second to Twice Over (GB) (Observatory) in the Eclipse (Eng-G1). The third
horse (Buzzword [Pivotal]) won the German Derby (Ger-G1). After that we went to
Italy for the Gran Premio del Jockey Club (Ity-G1), but that was a waste of time
as it poured with rain and the ground came up very heavy.”
Earlier this week Given got back to his Lincolnshire base after saddling
Dandino (Dansili [GB]) to run 11th in the Japan Cup (Jpn-G1), and is looking
forward to his next international foray.
“Lincolnshire has been under snow this week, which hasn’t made life easy. We
worked Indian Days at Southwell on Tuesday, and the horsebox got stuck on the
way home. He’ll do one more piece of work before he leaves for Hong Kong.
“This is as tough a race as he’s been in, but he’s well, and I’d like to
think he could get a piece of the prize money.”
Leave the last word to his adoring owner.
“His family name is Bob Bob, because when you see him race with his white
blaze, his head movements up and down seem very pronounced,” Fish said. “Every
jockey who rides him, from Alan Munro to Tom Queally says he always tries his
best. If he were to run well, that would be the icing on the cake.”
The other British hopes in the Vase are REDWOOD (GB) (High Chaparral [Ire])
from the Barry Hills yard and the Sir Michael Stoute-trained mare CRYSTAL
CAPELLA (Cape Cross [Ire]).