Arthur Cooper takes a look at the European runners for the 2017 HKIR feature races.

GARLINGARI

Twelve months ago, many were asking why GARLINGARI was making the trip to the Longines International Meeting in Hong Kong to compete in the Vase (2400m). At the time GARLINGARI had raced forty-six times for seven wins filling a place in races up to G3.

Trainer Corine Barande-Barbe indicated the horse was racing in Hong Kong with the longer term aim of participating at this 2017 meeting. She was confident that although now a six year old, this was the year the horse would blossom.

How correct she has been!

GARLINGARI has had his best season to date and graduated to win his past two starts including the Prix Dollar, a G2 2000m race run at Chantilly on ‘Arc’ weekend. This has been his biggest win to date.

So, does he have the class to win a race such as the Hong Kong Cup? The trip is his greatest asset with five of his nine victories having come over the distance and he does like to settle fairly close to the lead. The negative will be the surface – all wins have been on soft to heavy.

The trainer said however: “In France I think 2000 metres is his best trip but here you need more speed so we trained him at home for that. It’s a nice challenge for him. He is a year older and now he is six is more mature.”

Corine Barande-Barbe is very familiar with Hong Kong having been the trainer of CIRRUS DES AIGLES, a horse who ran four times at the Hong Kong International meeting during 2009-2014, his best being a third in the Hong Kong Cup in 2013. This was also the horse that pushed the mighty FRANKEL in the Championship Stakes at Ascot in the United Kingdom in 2012.

GARLINGARI will be one of the outsiders in the Longines Hong Kong Cup however the word is that he travelled over well and has eaten up well. Assistant trainer Jean-Jacques Poincelet says, “He has had an easier campaign this year than last, when he ran a lot of races. I think he is in better physical and mental shape.”

On Thursday, he stepped out under raceday rider Stephane Pasquier and was clocked as completing his final 800m in 58.2s (16.0, 15.6, 14.0, 12.6).

Pasquier, who makes his third appearance at the meeting on Sunday, said: “We didn’t go quick but that was enough for him. He is a horse that can take plenty of work but that was all done in France. He adapted well and changed his legs pretty fluently so I was satisfied with how he went. He has strengthened up since last year and is a lot more powerful. They will go that bit quicker over 2,000 metres than in the Vase last year but I don’t expect that to bother him. He has been ridden more prominently over that trip at home and the distance doesn’t worry me.”

ROBIN OF NAVAN

When you first look at the form of ROBIN OF NAVAN you would expect him to be trained in France as the majority of his starts have been in that country. It turns out the horse is prepared by Harry Dunlop at Newmarket in the United Kingdom.

His biggest win was as a two year-old when scoring in the 2015 G1 Criterium de St Cloud run over 2000m. This also provided the trainer with his first, and to date, only G1 victory. It was not until June of this year that he scored again when he defeated GARLINGARI in a G3 over this distance at Maisons-Laffitte.

Since then his form has been below par and he has been mixing distances ranging from 1600m up to 2400m. He ran an improved second last time at Newmarket over 1800m in a G3 and has proven to be adaptable on all surfaces while liking to be on the pace.

By all reports Robin Of Navan is eating and drinking well and is nearly back to his optimum weight.

Trainer Harry Dunlop's wife Christina has indicated that “…he’s taken this flight brilliantly and has been neighing happily since.”

She also confirmed that Hong Kong-based Australian rider Sam Clipperton would partner the five-time winner for Sunday's big assignment: "When we've taken Robin Of Navan abroad, we've looked to local riders and it has tended to pay off, especially with the post positions to consider.

Trainer Harry Dunlophas also stated: “I’ve tried to learn from my brother (trainer Ed Dunlop who has sent out three HKIR winners) and really the plan is just to keep him fresh in the run-up to Sunday.

A nice horse who has the ability but will be up against it in this race.

On Thursday he continued his preparation, breezing around the all-weather track.

Trainer Harry Dunlop said: “We used to think that he was a soft-ground horse but actually this year his form on soft has been patchy and he’s run really well on quicker ground. He’s got something to find on Sunday and we’re realistic about his chances, but we’ve been really happy with him since he arrived in Hong Kong.”

BLOND ME

BLOND ME is a well-travelled five-year old mare who has won in three countries to date. This includes last time when she recorded her maiden G1 victory at Woodbine in Canada taking out the E.P.Taylor Stakes over 2000m following a second in the G1 Nassau (1970m) at Glorious Goodwood. A luckless run in the G1 Prix Vermaille at Chantilly then followed. She also won the 1600m G2 Topkapi Trophy at Veliefendi in Turkey in 2016. In May this year she won a G2 over an extended 2000m trip at York.

Trainer Andrew Balding has tasted success previously at this meeting having won the Hong Kong Vase in 2004 with PHOENIX REACH. This will be his seventh visit to the meeting and he does come here on a career high having won two G1’s this season and in Britain he has achieved a personal best in stake-money won this year.

BLOND ME is a six-time winner in three different countries and as a British challenger has had an easy start to her LONGINES Hong Kong Cup preparation.

This week work rider Leanne Masterton said: “I couldn’t be happier, we didn’t do much but she felt great.”

2017 has seen BLOND ME come into her own and does handle all track surfaces. Expect to see her race mid-field and with the long Sha-Tin straight be working home. Don’t be surprised to see her collect prizemoney in the Longines Hong Kong Cup.

On Thursday she was timed over 600m in 40.2s (14.0, 13.8, 12.4).

Trainer Andrew Balding said: “She’s very fit so not much is needed this week. She’s seems to love travelling and has taken this whole experience in her stride.”

POETS WORD

Trainer Sir Michael Stout has been bringing horses to the International Meeting in Hong Kong since 1994. He has two wins at the meeting – in 1994 with SOVIET LINE and in 2000 with DALIAPOUR who took out the Hong Kong Vase. This year he has the promising POETS WORD engaged in the Longines Hong Kong Cup.

POE'S WORD is lightly raced, with a record of just eleven starts for four wins. It has been his past two starts however that have captured the attention of many, suggesting a potential star of the future, by finishing second in his past two starts in G1 2000m races – the Irish Championship Stakes and last time in the British equivalent at Ascot.

Upon arrival he initially remained in the quarantine stables as planned and once in training was seen to be on his toes as he tracked the flighty USA sprinter Stormy Liberal onto the turf only to then stretch his legs over 600m in 46.6s (16.8, 14.6, 15.2).

By Thursday he was doing steady work over 1000m on the turf in 1m 18.9s (16.2, 17.1, 15.4, 15.8, 14.4).

Kevin Bradshaw, assistant to trainer Sir Michael Stoute, said: “He’s well. He’s had an easy week but that was the plan with him all along.”

Arguably, he is the most progressive international horse here in Honk Kong. His form says a Group One win is not too far away. The Longines Hong Kong Cup could just be the race that graduates him to the big league.