This season’s BMW Hong Kong Derby form will be tested in the HKG3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup (Handicap) at Sha Tin on Saturday 9 May, when 13 high-class contenders will stretch out over 2400m.
Got Fly showed late dash to get within three quarters of a length of the victorious Luger in the HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) back in mid-March. Richard Gibson’s charge has since had a break to freshen up and is now primed to lead three of the Derby vanquished against a clutch of established stayers and fellow emerging talents in Saturday’s feature.
“Got Fly has had a fantastic season,” said Gibson of the French import, who has won two of five starts since making his Hong Kong debut in November. “He adapted quickly to Hong Kong and ran a great race in the Derby without ever looking like winning the race. We gave him a bit of a break after the Derby; he looks well, he looks strong and Douglas (Whyte) was very happy with his trackwork.”
The Queen Mother Memorial Cup is one of only three Pattern races staged over a mile and a half during Hong Kong’s season. Got Fly is untested at the distance. The four-year-old’s two local wins have been achieved at 1800m, but a 2000m success in France and the manner of his staying-on second in the Derby suggest that the gelding may have enough stamina in his locker.
“We’re going to try our luck over 2400m,” said Gibson. “He’s a very professional horse, it was just a case of choosing whether to go against the very good Group 1 horses over 2000 metres (in the APQEII Cup) or choose this easier option over a longer distance. I think the horse is professional enough to adapt to conditions. He is carrying a lot of weight but we’ve got him in good shape so we are looking forward to the race.”
Got Fly will carry 124lb on Saturday, 2lb more than the John Moore-trained Derby fourth Helene Happy Star but four less than Derby eighth and HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) winner Thunder Fantasy, trained by John Size, who stormed to an impressive victory in a 2200m Class 2 handicap at Sha Tin last month.
Take To The Limit (113lb), another of Gibson’s four runners in the HK$2.75 million contest, was a solid second to Thunder Fantasy in that most recent test. The five-year-old had broken his Hong Kong maiden at the 12th attempt on his previous start, a 2200m Class 3. The Rashbag gelding runs from 7lb out of the handicap.
“He did really well last time. I think we were beaten by the brilliant ride of Brett Prebble on Thunder Fantasy,” said Gibson. “The horse ran a great race, he’s still in really good shape and he might be a danger running off this light weight.”
The Gibson-trained Wayfoong Express (115lb), sixth in this race last year from a 10lb lower rating, took third spot behind Thunder Fantasy and his stablemate last start.
“Wayfoong Express ran very well in that race, too,” said the trainer. “We know this horse well, he’s a little bit quirky, but he likes a soft track so if we get some rain before the big race things could change very quickly for him.”
Gibson’s fourth candidate is the dark horse in the field. Shamkiyr has had only one outing in Hong Kong, a fair 10th of 14 in a 1600m Class 2 on 12 April. But the Sea The Stars four-year-old is already proven in the highest grade overseas having finished second to The Grey Gatsby in last year’s G1 Prix du Jockey Club in France.
“Shamkiyr’s a very talented horse,” said Gibson. “He’s not without his difficulties in the morning - he’s a very keen worker. I was satisfied with his first run over a mile - I thought he finished the race very well.
“It’s not ideal going 2400 metres but he belongs in this category of racing and I’m expecting a good solid performance from this horse. I think he’ll continue to improve. I would have preferred to run the horse at 2000 metres but again he’s just got to adapt to the race programme that is put in front of us; but I think this horse has a good future - he has a lot of improvement in him.”
Trainer Tony Cruz’s veteran dual G1 Hong Kong Cup (2011 & 2012) winner California Memory, successful at the distance in the HKG1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup in 2013, tops the weights on 133lb. The Size-trained Khaya, third in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) in December, carries 129lb.
The David Hall-trained Bubble Chic (122lb) will attempt to repeat last year’s success in the race. He is one of two runners for owner Edmond Siu, the other being the Caspar Fownes-trained Rainbow Chic (128lb). Meanwhile, Siu’s father, Siu Pak Kwan, will look to the classy four-year-old Savvy Nature (113lb) from the Moore stable. The last-named missed the cut for the Derby but has since landed a 1800m Class 2 at Happy Valley and ran home fifth to Thunder Fantasy last start.
Another four-year-old, the Fownes-trained Renaissance Art (113lb), is seeking a hat-trick following a Class 3 1600m win at Sha Tin and a Class 3 1800m success at Happy Valley. The Cruz-trained Lucky Omens (113lb), a three-time winner at 2000m in Hong Kong, completes the line-up.
The Queen Mother Memorial cup is race eight on Saturday’s 10-race card, which commences at 1pm with the Class 5 Cheung Cup (Handicap).
