Ed Walker is keen to toast the news that stable star Almaqam stays in training next season by bagging victory in the Longines Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin in December.
The Lambourn handler has set his sights on securing more Group One glory before the year is out with the son of Lope De Vega, who will lead his squad again in 2027.
Since breaking his Group One duck in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in May, the ARM Racing-owned five-year-old has run well in defeat in four subsequent outings at the highest level, the latest which saw him finish fourth in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.
And while Almaqam holds Group One entries over a mile and a half in both the Grosser Allianz Preis Von Bayern at Munich on Saturday and the Hong Kong Vase, Walker is keen to stick at ten furlongs for the time being.
Walker said: “He is staying in training, which is great news. He has not had the busiest of careers as we have been tiptoeing around the ground.
“Had he won the Juddmonte International he probably would have been retired, and probably have a really good book of mares at the stud.
“We have put him in the Hong Kong Cup and the Hong Kong Vase, but I would be leaning more towards the Cup. He has had a light campaign, and I think the track at Sha Tin would really suit him. There is no Romantic Warrior there so it is quite tempting.
“He is so well as he came out of Ascot bouncing. I got the tactics totally wrong at Ascot as I sowed a seed in Kieran’s mind, and we rode him wrong at Ascot, but I’m not sure Ascot suits him to be honest with you as he has never run great there.
“I think a relentless gallop around ten furlongs at Sha Tin sounds about right.”
