‘Irreplaceable’ Highland Reel bows out in fitting fashion with gutsy win
The iron horse with the golden legacy. In a perfectly fitting finale to an incredible tale, Highland Reel bowed out doing what he does best: finding impossible amounts off the bridle, thousands of miles from home, to win a Group 1 and a huge sum of prize-money.
There have been more talented horses but has there been one tougher? One thing in no doubt is that Highland Reel has won more prize-money than any horse trained in Europe, with this success taking his haul to an incredible £7,513,355.
It could not have been scripted any better as old adversary Talismanic loomed up menacingly, still hard on the bridle, while Highland Reel was responding gallantly to Ryan Moore’s urgings. Talismanic came, he saw the white of Highland Reel’s eye and was unable to conquer.
This seventh top-level success marked the end of an incredible journey, encompassing four seasons in training and 13 starts outside Britain and Ireland, with journeys to the likes of Australia, Dubai and the USA.
Moore said: “He’s high-class with a great attitude and very durable. He’s raced all around the world and his consistency marks him out – he always runs his race and is a pleasure to ride. Hopefully he’ll pass it on [to his progeny].”
Aidan O’Brien, who was enjoying a 28th top-level success in 2017, paid tribute to a stable star and stalwart, saying: “It’s very rare you get a horse who can travel like him. Every year he has travelled the world. He’s an incredible horse.
“He’s irreplaceable. Where do you get a horse who did what he did? But he has to go to stud at some time.
“He’s had a lot of highlights – he’s done it at two, three, four and five. To win at the top all the way along and finish at a place like this, with an atmosphere like this, is incredible.”
Highland Reel had a length and three-quarters in hand at the line and was pulling away again after being given an aggressive ride from Moore, who knew his mount would keep finding for pressure.
Moore said: “He’s always been a very straightforward horse and gets the trip well. He’s got a lot of good tactical speed and I was always happy and confident. Once he gets into a fight he’s probably going to prevail. He dug in during the last furlong and was going away again at the finish.”
O’Brien added: “He’s tactically very good, fast early and then quickens. What’s unbelievable is that he’s so brave. When you want everything he gives you everything. Ryan gave him a brilliant ride, he knew he wasn’t going to give up.”
Travelling head lad Pat Keating has been by Highland Reel’s side throughout and was beaming from ear to ear after the five-year-old crossed the line. He said: “It’s an unbelievable feeling and great to see him going out on a high like that. He was a pure gentleman to look after.”
Maxime Guyon attempted to play Talismanic late, holding on to his strong-travelling mount for as long as he dared. But he conceded he was beaten by a better horse on the day.
“I was in an ideal position all the way, where I wanted to be and close enough to Highland Reel,” he said. “I waited as long as I could as he only has a short run but I couldn’t get by him.”
Japan’s Tosen Basil finished third, three-quarters of a length behind Talismanic, while Ralph Beckett’s Chemical Charge fared best of the British raiders in fourth.
Jockey Oisin Murphy said: “When we talked about the race beforehand we all agreed he should start handily, but he was a little nervous in the gate and lacked the early speed. I thought I might win a furlong out, but he’s still run a career best.”
This was a second Hong Kong Vase for Highland Reel, who won in 2015 and was only narrowly denied last year. He clearly relishes the sound surface often produced at Sha Tin.
“He’s very comfortable on fast ground, a very good mover,” said O’Brien.
Highland Reel may be a fluent mover but he’s left a big footprint all over the world: a true globetrotting giant.
fonte : RacingPost
Review: Excellent second for Talismanic in G1 Hong Kong Vase
Talismanic, trained by Andre Fabre and ridden by Maxime Guyon, ran very well to finish second in the G1 Hong Kong Vase over 12 furlongs on fast turf at Sha Tin, Hong Kong, on Sunday, December 10.
The winner on his previous start of the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf had an excellent run after breaking well from stall one.
Settled in third, Talismanic moved up in the straight and looked to be going very well. He tried to challenge the leader Highland Reel and got within striking distance but was held in the closing stages.
Talismanic went down by a length and three quarters to Highland Reel whose time came to 2m 26.23s. The third home, Japanese challenger Tosen Basil, was a further three quarters of a length back among the 12 runners.
Lisa-Jane Graffard of Godolphin said: “Talismanic is a very honest horse, gave his best and ran a very good race. There were no excuses – Talismanic was just beaten by a better horse on the day.
“We will get him home and let him recover from his exertions before making any plans, but he should be a great horse for an international campaign again next year.”
Maxime Guyon added: “Talismanic ran a very good race. I had a perfect run – I followed the winner and came through smoothly. Last time when he won the Breeders’ Cup, the track was better for him as the finishing straight was shorter than here.
“He has a good turn of foot but for a short spurt, so I waited as long as I could. He came well again today, but 100 metres out he stopped a little bit.”
fonte : Godolphin
Sha Tin #HKIR: Highland Reel domina #Talismanic nell’Hong Kong Vase G1! Fine della carriera per il campione Coolmore
Longines Hong Kong Vase (Group 1) 2400 metri: Cavallo o macchina? Highland Reel (Galileo) ha messo la ciliegina sulla torta della sua strabiliante carriera, chiudendo in bellezza e trionfando per la seconda volta nell’Hong Kong Vase G1 di Sha Tin grazie ad una poderosa progressione ed una monta intelligentissima di Ryan Moore che ha respinto, quando sembrava poterlo mangiare, un buonissimo comunque Talismanic (Medaglia D’Oro) che sembrava addirittura dominarlo salvo poi rinculare negli ultimi 100 metri, con al terzo posto il giapponese Tosen Basil(Harbinger).
Highland Reel ha sfruttato la scia dell’outsiderone Helene Charisma (Air Chief Marshal) ed una posizione vicino alla corda. Per il campionissimo giramondo è la settima vittoria in G1 dopo i 2 Hong Kong Vase G1 (nel 2016 è giunto secondo), le Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, la Coronation Cup, la Breeders’ Cup Turf, le King George e le Secretariat Stakes, con un bottino di £7,513,355 che ne fanno il cavallo più ricco in Europa di tutti i tempi. Per Aidan O’Brien era la 28° vittoria di G1 in stagione. Per Highland Reel, ora, una pensione dorata a ciulare al Coolmore. Allevato dalla Hveger Syndicate, di proprietà di Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor, è prodotto del campione Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) e della fattrice Hveger (Danehill), funzionerà in Irlanda al tasso di monta di €17,500 nel 2018. IL VIDEO QUI. IL RISULTATO COMPLETO QUI.
Sha Tin #HKIR: Time Warp vince una Hong Kong Cup G1 molto tattica. Stessa mossa per Beauty Generation nel Mile
Diamo conto di quanto accaduto ad Hong Kong nelle 4 International Races sul tema dello sprint, del miglio, del miglio e mezzo della Hong Kong Cup sui 2000 metri.
Longines Hong Kong Mile G1 sui 1600 metri: Questo è stato un capolavoro tattico da parte di Derek Leung che proprio qualche giorno fa ha partecipato, senza esito, nel Longines International Jockeys’ Championship di Happy Valley, ma domenica ha portato a spasso la compagnia vincendo da front runner in sella al neozelandese Beauty Generation (Road to Rock), allenato da John Moore per i colori che conosciamo bene di Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen.
Beauty Generation ha galoppato in avanti partendo veloce, stoppando, e poi ripartendo sul finire della curva per prendere del vantaggio e sorprendendo i rivali che sono stati anticipati, con un vantaggio che è poi diventato incolmabile per Western Express (Encosta de Lago) e Helene Paragon (Polan), al terzo, due cavalli a sorpresa, mentre il favorito Seasons Bloobm (Captain Sonador) è giunto quarto con Joao Moreira. Il primo degli europei è stato Lancaster Bomber (War Front), quinto, mentre l’italian bred Beauty Only (Holy Roman Emperor) è arrivato settimo correndo comunque discretamente, ma peccando di un guizzo finale risolutivo. Penultimo Karar (Invincible Spirit), ultima Roly Poly(War Front). Tempo finale sul miglio è stato di 1m 33.72s. IL VIDEO QUI. IL RISULTATO COMPLETO QUI.
Longines Hong Kong Cup G1 sui 2000 metri: Stessa identica corsa vista nel Mile, Zac Purton ha copiato pari pari le mosse del collega nel Mile ed ha vinto in sella a Time Warp (Archipenko), nella foto in alto, la corsa più ricca del convegno rimanendo in testa da un capo all’altro, ed inscenando una sorta di falsa andatura fino in dirittura dove ha preso il malloppo ed è scappato in fuga, rendendosi intangibile dal favorito Werther (Tavistock) ed il giapponese Neorealism (Neo Universe) al terzo. Male gli europei con Poet’s Word (Poet’s Voice) per Sir Michael Stoute ed Andrea Atzeni, al sesto posto. Dall’8° in poi, cioè da Robin Of Navan (American Post), gli ultimi posti sono stati occupati dai nostri compagni di continente, ed ultima Blond Me (Tamayuz). Ma non era meglio correre il Premio Roma G2 a questo punto?
A parte gli scherzi, il vincitore è comunque un cavallo proveniente da caro vecchio continente. Allevato dalla signora Kirsten Rausing, è un figlio di Archipenko (Kingmambo) e Here To Eternity (Stormy Atlantic), acquistato alle Tattersalls a Newmarket, che ha cominciato la carriera per Sir Mark Prescott in Inghilterra dove ha vinto 4 corse consecutivamente sul finire dell’estate 2015 e facendo il salto di qualità nel Maggio 2016 quando vinse, con Cristian Demuro in sella, il Prix de Pontarme, una Listed sul miglio di Saint Cloud. Venduto privatamente ad Hong Kong a Martin Siu Kim Sun, è stato affidato alle cure di Tony Cruz che lo ha fatto crescere gradualmente. Si è rivisto all’opera nel Gennaio 2017 e la prima affermazione è arrivata solo a Giugno all’8° tentativo, quando comunque ha cominciato ad inanellare risultati positivi fino a raggiungere un 114 di RPR e piazzandosi prima d’ora nelle corse di preparazione di Hong Kong quali la Jockey Club Cup G2, il Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse G3 e la Celebration Cup G3. Oggi, la vittoria al massimo livello. IL VIDEO QUI. IL RISULTATO COMPLETO QUI.
Grand slam for Purton as Time Warp takes LONGINES Hong Kong Cup
Scott Burton
10/12/2017 19:12
On a day when plenty of the major prizes went the way of horses ridden on the speed, Time Warp and Zac Purton strolled away with the biggest one of all, the HK$25m G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), easily holding Werther for a two and a quarter length success, with Neorealism leading home a Japanese trio for the minor money.
Time Warp (No. 9) takes the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (Group 1, 2000m) at Sha Tin Racecourse today for trainer Tony Cruz and jockey Zac Purton.
Purton was completing his grand slam of all four LONGINES Hong Kong International Races and when asked if he saw another horse, he joked: “A couple behind the gates and then pulling up but I don’t know where they were in between.”
Tony Cruz was adding to the two LONGINES Hong Kong Cup wins of California Memory in 2011 and 2012 and must have been delighted as Time Warp coasted along the Sha Tin back straight under minimal pressure from Smart Layer and Neorealism.
Turning for home, Werther emerged from the chasing pack but by then Purton had let Time Warp engage overdrive and last year’s Hong Kong Horse of the Year was never closer than at the line.
“He has got a high cruising speed and he can kick off that,” said Purton of Time Warp. “When nothing attacks him, you can see how good he is.”
Purton revealed that his confidence in Time Warp – whose three previous attempts in Group company had yielded a third and two seconds – had only increased after going through the race with Cruz.
“I couldn’t see much speed on paper before the race so, unless anyone did anything differently, I thought I might be able to get my way in front,” said Purton. “I had a very easy time and that was key to the result. Tony has a great deal of confidence in his horse and he rang me this morning specifically to talk about this one so I thought he must have been pretty keen on him.”
Time Warp (No. 9) takes the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (Group 1, 2000m) at Sha Tin Racecourse today for trainer Tony Cruz and jockey Zac Purton.
Purton’s LONGINES International Races collection started with Ambitious Dragon’s 2012 win in the Mile, continued with Dominant’s Vase in 2013 and was three-quarters complete by the time Aerovelocity took the first of his two Sprint successes in 2014.
“The jigsaw is complete so I am pretty happy about that,” he said.
Purton had been a slightly peripheral figure during the three earlier LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, with Gold Mount’s fifth-placed effort in the Vase his best return.
But when it mattered most he combined perfectly with Time Warp, following Cruz’s instructions to the letter.
“I told Zac to stay cool, ride the way I want this horse to be ridden,” said Cruz, the former big race jockey never far from the surface. “Zac did exactly what I wanted him to do. He just took him to the front and nobody was going to catch him. I said, ‘just wait for them to come, and when they push you, go. When they came, he just took off.”
Jockey Zac Purton, trainer Tony Cruz and owner Martin Siu celebrate their victory in the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup.
A toasting ceremony is held at Jockey Club Box after the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup.
Time Warp was cleverly campaigned by Newmarket training legend Sir Mark Prescott, who was at Sha Tin to witness the son of Archipenko’s international coming-of-age.
Prescott sent Time Warp for Listed wins in France at Saint-Cloud and the western provincial track at Craon.
Cruz knows the highways and byways of French racing better than most from his riding days.
“As you saw with the races he won in France, he loves to go to the front,” said Cruz. “Today I thought there were no speed horses and nothing was going to take us on. Even if they had done, they couldn’t do him for speed.”
His Hong Kong programme might well pick itself, with plenty of valuable 2000m prizes to be won going forward, while Cruz admitted Time Warp might be the perfect galloper to travel abroad.
The trainer said: “It’s no big surprise to me. The horse has been pushing me to run in this class of race and I believe there is a lot of horse in him. 2000 metres around this course is perfect for him. If he has it his way, nobody can beat him.
“I would love to go abroad with him. He is a very versatile type of horse: he can go on the soft; he can go on the firm; he can go on the dirt too. I am sure this horse can go places. He is a very sound horse and he is a healthy horse. I haven’t done his programme but I believe he can win elsewhere.”
Time Warp was turning around a neck defeat to Werther in the G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Cup and John Moore was left to rue the way the race unfolded for his six-year-old son of Tavistock, who was never better than seventh running down the back.
“There was no speed up front and you couldn’t be where he was unfortunately,” said Moore. “I wanted him to be ridden closer but, whatever happened, he just wasn’t there in the spot I wanted. It meant he had too much ground to make up and would have had to run an impossible sectional to win. He hasn’t disgraced and we can now look down the road to the Stewards’ Cup, Gold Cup and perhaps Dubai.”
Neorealism held the late thrust of fellow Carrot Farm challenger Staphanos by half a length for third.
But the QEII Cup winner was unable to match the finishing burst of Time Warp, having failed to settle just behind the early pace for Joao Moreira.
“It was a fantastic run, said Moreira. “He was a bit keen early and it took me quite a while to get him to relax but he did a very good job to finish third.”
The six-strong European challenge failed to play a serious part in the finish, with Poet’s Word the best of the sextet when running on for sixth after being seven-wide turning into the straight.
LONGINES Hong Kong Cup Results
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Leung raises the roof with a Beauty ride to Hong Kong Mile glory
Steve Moran
The story might have been about the horse, the owner or the trainer but the tale of the HK$23 million LONGINES Hong Kong Mile is rightly all about one man – winning jockey Derek Leung.
The 29-year-old claimed his first Group 1 win and became just the second home-grown graduate of the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Apprentice Jockeys’ School, after Matthew Chadwick, to win an international race at the Club’s flagship December meeting (Sunday, 10 December). He ably guided the John Moore-trained and Patrick Kwok-owned Beauty Generation to an all-the-way one-length victory in the day’s third feature.
Beauty Generation (No.10) with Derek K C Leung in the saddle claims the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (Group 1-1600M).
And rarely has a win been so well-received. Such is the popularity of the man who could boast just two G3 successes before this season but whose talent always promised more.
The crowd cheered wildly for Leung, whose wife Kit is expecting their first child within a month. The weighing room staff stood and applauded as he returned to the scales. Fellow jockeys congratulated him. A warm embrace from rival and colleague Olivier Doleuze said it all.
“I’m very, very happy,” said Leung before re-mounting his horse, with arms raised to the sky, for the official presentation. That was plain for all to see and he needn’t have said any more but, of course, he did.
“I want to thank everyone for their support, especially to the owner (Patrick Kwok) and to trainer John Moore. I was given an opportunity and I took advantage of it. I am always trying to prove myself and I am hoping there will be more international winners in the future.
“The plan was always to go forward, be in the first two and lead if that’s how it turned out. Everything did go very smoothly with a soft lead and I pressed the button at the 450 (metres) because I knew he would not stop and he didn’t. I had no worries to kick for home early and the horse ran so well,” Leung said.
Jockey Derek K C Leung, trainer John Moore, owner Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen celebrate after winning the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile.
Leung, who sits fifth on the jockeys’ premiership table in his most prominent season to date, had every confidence in the five-year-old son of Road To Rock, returned an 8.4 chance. “We began the season winning a Group 3 (Celebration Cup) and I knew he was a Group 1 horse and today we did it, he proved it,” he said.
The win was trainer Moore’s seventh Hong Kong International Races win and his third in the Mile. It was a second successive win in the race for owner Patrick Kwok after last year’s win with Beauty Only, whom he races with his mother Eleanor Kwok. Beauty Only was seventh today.
It was Hong Kong’s 11th win in the 12 years since 2006 and the 10th winner, in that period, to progress from the Jockey Club Mile. Beauty Generation is the 14th Hong Kong-trained winner since the race was accorded Group 1 status in 2000.
Moore said the win was “no surprise” to the stable. “He’s done everything right from day one, this horse. We saw he was a little hampered in the run last time but today he had the gun run and was able to dictate the terms of the race which always looked a possibility.
“We tried him over more ground last season and he ran well but he starts to grind a bit at the longer trips. We put some speed into him and he has a turn-of-foot at the mile (1600 metres). He’s run so well today,” Moore said.
In an all-Hong Kong finish, John Size and Sam Clipperton combined to finish second with Western Express while Moore’s Helene Paragon finished third, following on from his second placing last year.
