While the majority of the international visitors remained in settling-in mode, reigning Horse of the Year Designs On Rome made an emphatic statement for the home team in a brilliant pre-dawn workout at Sha Tin.
With race rider Joao Moreira on board, and partnered by accomplished stablemate Approve, Designs On Rome went 1,200 metres on the course proper in 1 minute and 18.3 seconds.
The pair steadied the workout in the middle stages before picking it up approaching the turn. They ran the last 600m in 37.0, the last 400m in 22.5 and opened up superbly over the ultimate 200m in 10.9 seconds. The gallop set an early benchmark for HKIR week, one that precious few will be capable of testing.
Designs On Rome is not looking to create history this weekend in the HK$25 million Longines Hong Kong Cup, but rather to equal it. He is seeking to become the second horse to complete the Derby-QE II Cup-Hong Kong Cup treble, with the trailblazer having been Vengeance Of Rain for David Ferraris and Anthony Delpech in 2005.
Trainer John Moore also had his Vase title defender Dominant in action, and the handsome black gelding was also ridden by Moreira. The overall time for his 1,200m was a fraction slower than Designs On Rome (1:19.2) and, not surprisingly, his final 200m was not in the same league either, a relatively modest 11.15 seconds.
Moore kept the powder dry, however, with his other big gun, Able Friend, who will start a short-priced favourite in the Mile. The liver chestnut was restricted to two rounds on the inside slow-work circuit.
David Hayes’ Australian Derby hero Criterion set the standard among the visitors, galloping solo over 1,400m on the turf in 1:39.5, stepping it up the final 400m in 22.9 and the last split in 11.04 seconds.
The only other turf worker among the internationals was Farraaj, a last-start third in the Mackinnon Stakes on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup carnival.
Ridden by race jockey Andrea Atzeni, Farraaj strolled comfortably over 1,200m – the first 800m in almost perfect “even time” (15 seconds per 200m) before striding home nicely in 23.7 and 11.04.
The Mackinnon Stakes is acknowledged as an international Group One race and is decided over the identical distance of the Hong Kong Cup – 2,000 metres.
Singaporean champ Spalato did not make time, but looked very bright and well doing a steady canter on the all-weather track.
Although his unbeaten sequence came to an abrupt end in the Jockey Club Sprint on November 23, trackwatchers cannot find fault with the versatile galloper, who was six from six in the Lion City.
The highest-rated galloper at the meeting, Flintshire (Vase) looked in awesome condition during slow work.
