Harry Bentley and Andrea Atzeni are both bidding for glory in Sunday’s HK$26 million (approx. £2.5m) BMW Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin, the concluding leg of the Hong Kong Four-Year-Old Classic Series.
Bentley triumphed in the second leg of the Hong Kong Four-Year-Old Classic Series, the HK$13 million (approx. £1.2m) Hong Kong Classic Cup, aboard Stormy Grove earlier this month and has retained the ride aboard the Marc Chan-owned son of Toronado.
Looking back on what was the biggest success of his career to date in Hong Kong, Bentley said: “It was a really good race to have ticked off the list. It was certainly my biggest win in Hong Kong and the race comes with a lot of prestige. It’s obviously a feeder for the Derby so winning that race you get a little bit excited at the thought of going into the big race with a really good chance.
“There’s always a big hype around the Derby, it’s the standout race of the season, and what comes with that is plenty of excitement and expectation, so I’m feeling that at the moment. The excitement is there, and I can’t wait.”
Having triumphed over 1800m last time out, Stormy Grove now steps up to the Derby trip of 2000m for the first time.
“There are obviously a few questions marks about whether the trip is going to suit my horse,” Bentley said. “He has been quite a free-going horse in the past but we seem to have found the key with him, by settling and relaxing him early on, which means he’s able to finish with a really impressive turn of foot as he’s done on his last two starts. If all goes smoothly and he settles, I’d expect him to see out the trip.
“I will say the race [Classic Cup] did set up for my horse, we went very quick and it was always going to suit a horse that was coming from off the pace. There’s a little bit of luck involved there, but I do believe my horse has what it takes to feature in a race like this.
“He’s been improving with each run and it’s going to be interesting to see how he’s stepped up from last time, but having sat on him yesterday [Monday] he seems to have come out of that really well. He did a nice bit of work on the grass yesterday and his prep has been really good.”
Bentley, whose best finish in the Derby was fifth two years ago, is certainly expecting a battle on Sunday, and singled out Numbers, fourth in the Classic Cup on his last start, and Classic Mile winner Little Paradise as two standout dangers.
“It really is such an open contest. Numbers is the proven stayer having won a Group 3 over 2000 metres and finishing second in a Group 1 in Australia over 2400 metres, so he has stamina in spades. He likes to usually go to the front and hopefully he sets a good, even pace.
“Little Paradise is a really impressive type. He looked to have a pretty hard trip last time, he was slowly away and battled to get a clear run, but once he did get a bit of air, he seemed to quicken up nicely. You’d have to put him in the mix.”
Atzeni: Dragon one of the lively Derby outsiders
Andrea Atzeni has finished third and sixth in the Hong Kong Derby in the last two seasons, and the Sardinian-born rider is hoping to make a breakthrough this year aboard the Chris So-trained Top Dragon.
“The top guns were taken but there were a couple of spare rides available and I ended up taking Top Dragon, who is trained by Chris So,” Atzeni said.
“Although he’s only won once this season, he’s very consistent and has never been out of the first five. In his last three runs, I think he’s had an excuse each time. He was a little unlucky in the Classic Mile as he just got short of room at a crucial stage of the race, but he did well to put himself together and finish the way he did. I thought that was a good run.”
The son of Australian sire Pierata has some interesting form that ties in with former Ballydoyle horse, Stunning Peach (formerly known as Islandsinthestream).
“Last time, I didn’t ride him, but I thought he would win. When he got beaten by Stunning Peach, I was a little bit unsure about the form but then that horse went and won again in a Class 2, beating a decent field. Stunning Peach is an ex-Aidan O’Brien horse and was second in the National Stakes and second in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud, which is obviously good European form, and it looks like it has just taken a bit of time for him to come good in Hong Kong. He could be a Group horse in Hong Kong, so I think it looks like good form.
“Looking at the Derby, I think he’s one of the lively outsiders. If you take out Numbers, Little Paradise, Stormy Grove and Invincible Ibis, I think he’s just behind those top four or so. The distance is obviously a question mark, but he’s done nothing wrong and I can see him running a big race.”
Atzeni, who currently lies third in the Hong Kong Jockeys’ Championship on 40 winners, has been in excellent form in recent months, including riding four-timers at Sha Tin and Happy Valley.
He said: “It [the season] started a little bit quieter than I expected, but that can happen here. In the last few months, things have really picked up – I’m getting a lot of support, have been riding winners most meetings and I’m third in the table at the moment.
“We’ve still got four months left [of the season] and it would be nice to match last season’s tally of 58 and obviously try to beat it.”
Hong Kong racing continues on Sunday 22 March from Sha Tin, with the first race at 5:00am (UK time) and the BMW Hong Kong Derby due off at 8:05am (UK time).
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