Hong Kong Briefing: Gearing up for Jockey Club day

It takes a special horse to win on Jockey Club day and then go on to follow up in a Longines HKIR G1 contest three weeks later. Only five horses have managed it in the last decade - namely Beauty Generation (twice), Mr Stunning, Able Friend, Beauty Only and California Memory - and that quintet were among the best HK has produced in recent years. Beauty Generation is being given a break and won't be on duty this Sunday but most of the Sha Tin elite are involved for three G2's worth around £450,000 each and Graham Cunningham identifies the key questions for a ten-race card that will provided some very valuable clues for the December showdowns.

How significant is Jockey Club day as an HKIR platform?

Defeat isn't ideal - but nor is it a killer. Fifteen horses beaten on this day over the last decade went on to HKIR glory three weeks later - champion sprinter Beat The Clock being the latest last year. Only Mr Stunning managed to follow success in the Jockey Club Sprint with victory in the HK Sprint over the same period but the double has been completed much more often by leading milers, with Beauty Generation (twice), Able Friend and Beauty Only all following their JC Mile wins with HK Mile victories.

How strong is the HK elite this year?

Tom Biddington of the South China Morning Post hasn't minced words, saying that "any decent internationals sitting on the fence about making the trip for December 13 should look at those fields and immediately get in contact with their travel agent." But Biddington also points out that there is genuine star quality at the pointy end - with Golden Sixty and Exultant at the forefront - and both those horses are right at the top of the bill this weekend.

When will the international HKIR entries be published?

Wednesday at Happy Valley is the key day and all eyes will be on Ireland and Japan. Aidan O'Brien reports that Magical remains on course for what could be her final racecourse appearance in the featured HK Cup and the star mare could be accompanied on the journey by interesting Ballydoyle contenders for the Mile and Vase. Japan won three of the four HKIR contests last year. Win Bright is on course to try and repeat last year's Cup win and the rumour mill suggests that high-class G1 winner Danon Premium, last seen when a front-running fourth in Almond Eye's Tenno Sho, could also be boarding the plane.

Who is Sunday's star attraction?

It takes a lot to steal the limelight from a Horse of the Year like Exultant but the buzz around Golden Sixty has been relentless through an unbeaten 2020 and few will expect anything other than a commanding JC Mile success as he bids to become only the fourth HK horse to win ten in a row. A wide body of data shows that Francis Lui's gelding owns a rare and almost instant acceleration. Logic suggests that weapon will seal the deal again but last year's runner-up Ka Ying Star refused to lie down when running Golden Sixty to half a length in the Sha Tin Trophy last month and a 3lb pull means this might just turn into a close scrap than the market suggests.

Can Hot King Prawn repeat his 2018 Sprint success?

The fact that he's rated between 5lb and 15lb clear of his rivals means the short answer is yes and Joao Moreira feels John Size's gelding has had a smoother preparation than when second in this on his reappearance last year. A dominant recent trial gave a broad hint that Hot King Prawn is ready to go very close again but the record reflects that he can come up just short against the best in town and Computer Patch appeals as a likely danger. Tony Cruz's gelding ran a notable race when caught late by Wishful Thinker in the Premier Bowl, staying on willingly having gone off harder than ideal, and as a four-year-old he's open to more improvement than most of these older sprinters.

And what of Round 8 between Exultant and Furore in the Cup

It's Cruz against Cruz, Purton against Moreira and the Horse of the Year against the 2019 Derby winner. Those who like recent form may well side with Furore, who bounced back to his very best with a 22.2s closer to master his old rival for the first time in the Ladies' Purse over 1800m. It seems no coincidence that Moreira was aboard Furore for the first time that day and the Magic Man expects the six-year-old to peak again, while Purton is concerned about stall 10 for Exultant over a 2000m trip where the first bend comes up quickly. It's never easy to predict exactly how things will play out tactically. But it is a fact that Exultant beat Furore decisively in this race last year. HK's best middle distance horse is 6-1 up in overall head to heads with Furore - it might well be 7-1 by 8.15 on Sunday morning.

And what else is shaking in HK?

Neil Callan is chipping away strongly and continued his good run with a Happy Valley double in midweek; his old sparring partner Zac Purton is leaning hard on Exultant after three consecutive blank meetings saw him drop 13 behind Moreira in the title race; and the Jerry Chau bandwagon rolled on with a Valley double to end the night fifth in the table with 16 winners. Chau's winning strike rate stands at a little under one in six. Meanwhile, his place strike rate is 45 per cent - only just behind Moreira from lesser opportunities - and his 7lb claim remains a very valuable edge for anyone hoping to crack the HK markets.