The French brigade of eight horses arrived at Sha Tin on Sunday with no problems after travelling from either Brussels or Amsterdam via Dubai.
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup fancy Vision D'Etat and Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase Cirrus Des Aigles elected to stay in the quarantine barn for a walk on Monday morning but the six other Gallic contenders were out on the all-weather track for a first stroll over the Sha Tin oval.
Being the eldest and the most seasoned of the four Alain de Royer Dupre-trained participants, five-year-old Gris De Gris (Mile) led the 3YO fillies Ashalanda (Cup), Sweet Hearth (Mile) and Daryakana (Vase) for a couple of easy laps and the whole bunch settled in nicely.
“They all travelled very well and we've been happy with them so far,” said Alain de Royer Dupre's travelling head lad Jean-Michel Roux.
“We don't want them to do too much for their first show on the track. It is more an occasion to stretch their legs a bit and let them find their bearings.
"They will come back tomorrow morning for a canter but shouldn't really work until Wednesday or Thursday. We also brought over Darjina when she was third to Good Ba Ba in 2007 for the Mile. She was an extremely easy filly to deal with and delivered on the day. Their inexperience is not a cause for concern.”
Kasbah Bliss (Vase) wore the 'Jim And Tonic gear' of a full set of bright orange bandages the French globetrotter used to wear, for his first show on track. The Francois Doumen-trained 7yo gelding cantered slowly.
“He has travelled well and that's half the battle,” said Francois Doumen's assistant, Jonathan Fogarty.
“I know the Hong Kong people have not seen too many former National Hunt horses turn up for this meeting but you'd have to respect the trainer's record here.”
“Starlish travelled straight from Amsterdam and it went pretty smoothly,” said Bruno Kogue, Elie Lellouche's travelling head lad.
“He needed a bit of a stroll today to settle down. His regular morning rider Yohann Bourgois knows him well. Starlish is usually pretty laid back. He'd never do more than we ask him to do.”
