John Size has Luger locked and loaded for the HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby on Sunday (15 March) but the highest rated runner in this year’s Derby field is not the only big shot in the master trainer’s arsenal.
Size, who won the race three years ago with Fay Fay, will fire three shots at the HK$18 million contest, with Thunder Fantasy and Contentment also primed for the 2000m feature, which is exclusively for four-year-olds.
Luger has won six of nine starts in Hong Kong, across three seasons. All but his most recent success have been achieved at 1400m. Last start, the Choisir gelding stepped up to a mile and, shouldering 133lb, comfortably brushed aside last weekend’s HKG3 Hong Kong Macau Trophy victor, Arpinati.
“Luger seems to have done well,” said Size. “He hasn't had much racing but that may not be a bad thing. His win was quite good last start; he did everything correctly; he carried a heavy weight in Class 2, so you can’t do much more than that and he has done well since.”
The bay, who has had only two outings this term, trialled eight days ago over 1600m under big-race pilot Zac Purton and passed the post in front, seemingly in cruise control. Size felt that that was as it should have been.
“It wasn’t really an impressive trial because it was just a slowly run heat,” he said, “but the thing to like about it was that the horse relaxed and he actually handled the slow tempo, which is what we were looking for; so it wasn’t a performance but certainly the exercise proved the horse is fine.”
The step up to 2000m for a horse whose full sister, Psychologist, raced successfully from 1000m to 1200m, is an obvious concern.
“It’s always a query for any horse that hasn’t attempted it,” said Size. “But he’s showing us the signs that he should run well at it.”
Thunder Fantasy heads into the third and final leg of the Hong Kong Four-Year-Old Series as the fortunate winner of the second leg, the HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m). The Australian import, runner-up in the G1 Rosehill Guineas at the Derby distance, rallied to head the errant and re-opposing Redkirk Warrior last time.
“He was lucky to win the race but he deserved to win it,” said Size. “He was a beaten horse and he fought back and won the race. What he has done in the time he has been in Hong Kong has been quite normal - he has worked up his health and his fitness and he has adapted to the racing, so he has done everything correctly. The fact that he has already won a Group 1 is probably good for him because they are not easy to win. In this race, with the distance, he would be one of those horses that have already got some evidence that they can run it.”
The Lucky Owners colt, who will attempt to emulate his sire with victory in Sunday’s race, trialled against several of his Derby opponents over 1600m on 6 March and rolled home easily in fourth behind Giant Treasure.
“His trial was what you would be hoping,” stated Size. “He is the sort of horse that runs up on the speed; he is a bit one-paced, so his trial was what you would have expected.”
As for Contentment, Size has never hidden his regard for the Hussonet gelding. The chestnut made a winning debut on 23 November off a rating of 52, and has made rapid strides with four wins from six starts to make the Derby cut off a rating of 95. After running only seventh in the Hong Kong Classic Cup, Contentment sealed his place in the field with a last start win in a Class 2 over 1800m.
“Contentment is a very talented galloper,” said the trainer. “After his second win he looked like he might make it into the field because he was going ahead so quickly. He has done everything we would have hoped, including his last win, which was quite impressive at 1800m. He also has a query at the distance. He has to run 2000m and he has probably got to lead the race, which makes it hard work for him, but he settles nicely and he can pick up when you want him.”
And the Australian handler believes that the horse was unsuited by the way the race shaped up in the Classic Cup back in February.
“He followed the lead that day and we thought that wasn’t suitable for him, that he might be better off with a faster tempo, and if he has to make the speed himself he will.”
Size’s trio faces 11 others on Sunday afternoon in what is a wide open and high-class edition of the BMW Hong Kong Derby, a race first staged on 1873.
“The horses are all capable,” he concluded. “Luger has the highest rating on 107, which puts him in a position to win the race. I think the race should rate about 115. The other two have plenty to find but circumstances on the day can help any runner come up to a mark that he has never been to before.”
