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| Staff Writer |
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Without A Fight, fresh from his remarkable Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double, headlines a strong Australian contingent targeting glory at the 2024 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on December 8.
The meeting's flagship race, the Gr.1 Hong Kong Cup, could see local hero Romantic Warrior bidding for an unprecedented hat-trick, having captured the past two renewals before his Cox Plate triumph. Previous winners include international stars such as A Shin Hikari (2015), who also landed the Prix d'Ispahan, and Designs On Rome (2014), successful in four Group One races at Sha Tin.
The Ben & JD Hayes-trained Mr Brightside holds entries in both the Cup and Mile, whilst Chris Waller is double-handed with Buckaroo and Via Sistina in the former contest. Cox Plate performers Prognosis and Docklands are targeting the Cup, with Toorak hero Antino pointing towards the Mile division.
The sprint category has attracted a quartet of Australian speedsters, with Group One heroine Lady Laguna leading the charge alongside Recommendation and Ostraka.
The prestigious meeting, offering a record purse of US$16.1 million across four Group One contests, has drawn nominations from racing's global powerhouses. Andrew Harding, Executive Director of Racing at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: "We are beyond pleased with the entries for the 2024 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races."
Notably absent is Hong Kong's flagship miler Golden Sixty, a five-time participant at the meeting, opening the door for new challengers in the Mile division. Andrew Forsman's stable companions Positivity and Jan Brueghel add further depth to the Australian challenge in what promises to be a compelling international racing spectacle.