Four of Hong Kong's five feature contenders got the barriers they wanted for Sunday's Group Ones - and even though Dan Excel was the odd one out, trainer John Moore is still confident of claiming the Singapore Airlines International Cup.
Moore will be aiming for a third straight success in the S$3 million (HK$17.475 million) race and looking for a second with Dan Excel, on whom Tommy Berry will have to overcome barrier 10 of 11.
"I don't think the barrier is of much concern because he has such great gate speed for a horse that races at this distance," Moore said. "I think he can get across and lead, then maybe box seat, like he did last year from a good draw.
"We've got the same horse that led last year [Wild Geese] drawn outside of us in 11, so hopefully he brings us across. I can see us leading for the first part and then maybe Wild Geese will push on."
Trainer Caspar Fownes wasn't at the barrier draw but his assistants showed a Midas touch, with 2013 Cup winner Military Attack drawing ideally in three for the 2,000m race and Lucky Nine gate two for his tilt at three straight wins in the KrisFlyer Sprint. Lucky Nine's wins were from gates four and one.
Seven of the past nine winners of the KrisFlyer Sprint have won from four or lower, and Aerovelocity's grip as favourite firmed when he came up with barrier three, trainer Paul O'Sullivan claiming "that is what we would have chosen if we could pick ourselves. It's a perfect draw".
Barrier six in the sprint for Rich Tapestry wasn’t the worst result, according to trainer Michael Chang Chun-wai.
“I want him to be ridden a little bit quieter, but I will leave a plan to [jockey] Olivier [Doleuze],” he said.
Fownes will be in town to watch his pair work on the turf this morning but the remaining raiders finalised their preparations with strong turf gallops early yesterday morning.
Dan Excel was given by far the most strenuous workout, setting off at the 1,200m, the seven-year-old gelding covering the final 600m in a brisk 35.9s.
Moore said Dan Excel “had done very well” since arriving last weekend, “from what I’ve seen of him he is gaining weight much, much quicker than he did last year”.
Dan Excel has returned with three runs since undergoing throat surgery following his disastrous early season trip to Australia. “Of course he is a year older and he is coming off entrapment surgery, which makes this a huge test,” Moore said.
“But I give him a very good chance, his work this morning was very good and he pulled up very clean winded.”
O’Sullivan watched Aerovelocity complete a regulation gallop on the Kranji course proper, the six-year-old working strongly but on the bridle from the 800m, his final 600m in 43.1s.
“That’s exactly what he would do at home,” O’Sullivan said. “He is a fit horse, so he doesn’t need to do much, he has travelled very well and we just have to keep him ticking over for Sunday.”
Rich Tapestry was given a short, wind-clearing sprint up the straight by Chang’s work rider, former jockey Vincent Sit Shun-keung. “He hasn’t raced on the turf for a long time so we wanted to get him a feel for it and make sure he is fit,” Sit said.
