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| Staff Writer |
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Melbourne Cup hero Without A Fight and high-class miler Antino are being primed for Hong Kong assignments following their eye-catching performances at Flemington's Champions Day.
The Anthony Freedman-trained Without A Fight, who created history by becoming the first horse to complete the Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double since Ethereal in 2001, is being aimed at the Gr.1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m) after his creditable third in the Gr.1 Champions Stakes.
Meanwhile, Tony Gollan's stable star Antino, who went down fighting when second to Mr Brightside in the Champions Mile, is eyeing the Gr.1 Hong Kong Mile, with connections expected to confirm plans following vaccination protocols.
The Hong Kong Vase, a prestigious US$3.8 million contest, has previously been won by globe-trotting stars like Highland Reel (2015, 2017) and Glory Vase (2019, 2021), while local hero Golden Sixty has dominated the US$3.8 million Hong Kong Mile in recent years, claiming the prize in 2020 and 2021.
"Mark said he felt great... he'll run very well in Hong Kong, I would have thought," Freedman said of Without A Fight's Champions Stakes effort.
Discussing Antino's narrow defeat, Gollan observed: "He got there and might've thought he'd done his job."
The December 8 meeting at Sha Tin racecourse traditionally attracts some of the world's finest thoroughbreds, with both Australian challengers looking to add their names to an illustrious honour roll.