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| Staff Writer |
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It appears Caspar Fownes has set his sights on a big clash for Straight Arron in the Group One Dubai Turf at Meydan on 30th March. The Hong Kong galloper will be facing off against fellow Hong Kong horse Voyage Bubble.
Straight Arron had also been entered into the Gr.1 Dubai Sheema Classic, but Fownes has decided on the Dubai Turf for his horse. Straight Arron has had a good season so far, with a Gr.2 Jockey Club Cup victory and a fourth-place finish in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Cup.
However, he has been beaten by Voyage Bubble in two recent races, finishing behind him in both the Gr.1 Stewards' Cup and the Gr.1 Gold Cup. This upcoming race will be an important one for Straight Arron and will determine his standing on the world stage.
“He’s going good,” Fownes said. “It was a bit of a forgive run the other day [in the Gold Cup] because he got taken out in the first corner and it definitely cost us third place.
“The first two were too good on the day, but the start before that was very, very good over 1,800m [when third in the Centenary Vase].
“Just going through his form, we thought it was worthwhile going there over 1,800m. It’s going to be tough, but his run in [December’s Hong Kong Cup] was outstanding.
“He didn’t have the best of luck against some of the best staying horses around, so we’ll take him for a trip and hopefully it will toughen him up and show us where we are on the world stage.”
Voyage Bubble and Straight Arron will be accompanied by Sight Success in Dubai for the Gr.1 Al Quoz Sprint race. Sight Success finished fourth in the same race last year and is ready to take on the challenge again. The John Size-trained sprinter got himself ready for the upcoming race by winning a Conghua trial on Monday. Taj Dragon, the quality sprinter owned by Pierre Ng Pang-chi, may also compete in the Al Quoz Sprint following his participation in Sunday’s Group One Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) at Sha Tin.
However, it is uncertain whether multiple Gr.1 winner Russian Emperor will join Hong Kong’s travelling team in Dubai. Douglas Whyte is considering setting him up for the Dubai Sheema Classic. Russian Emperor, who finished fifth in the H.H. The Amir Trophy in Qatar in his last race, returned home and galloped on the course proper at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning.
“I’ve just spoken to [Jockey Club head of racing product] Greg Carpenter to see what the final field would look like,” Whyte said. “If I can’t earn prize money, I don’t really want to go. It’s a long way.
“At the moment he’s entered, he’s healthy and the plan is to go if I think I can earn some prize money. It looks a potentially strong field.”
Russian Emperor finished in eighth place in the previous year's Dubai Sheema Classic, trailing behind the Japanese standout, Equinox.
On another front, Victor The Winner, the winner of the Gr.1 Centenary Cup over 1,200 meters, prepared for his upcoming journey to Japan. He secured a trial victory under the guidance of race rider Derek Leung Ka-chun at Sha Tin on Tuesday.
Trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing plans to enter the dependable sprinter, Victor The Winner, into the Group One Takamatsunomiya Kinen, which will take place over 1,200 meters at Chukyo on 24th March.
“Today we gave him an easy trial and he trialled good,” Leung said. “We found cover to let him learn something [new] and he’s doing pretty good. I will go [to Japan] on Tuesday to gallop him on the grass.”
Earlier on Tuesday morning, Golden Sixty pleased Francis Lui Kin-wai in his first gallop since Christmas after he was sidelined with a leg injury.
“It was his first gallop after a break and it was just easy,” Lui said. “He’s certainly fine. He’ll have one or two barrier trials before he races.”
Golden Sixty, the most accomplished racehorse in the city, will retire following the Group One Champions Mile (1,600m) on 28th April.