If one of the most popular theories in Hong Kong racing carries any weight, almost half the field in Sunday’s Group One Champions Mile have the odds stacked against them.
The good news for the connections of Australia’s lone entry King’s Rose is that she is among the “right” group in the $A2 million race.
The “wrong” group, according to local legend includes the likely favourite Ambitious Dragon as well as the well-fancied Godolphin entry African Story, the Dubai-trained Musir and the local pair Lucky Nine and Xtension.
All raced at the Dubai World Cup meeting in March, an assignment that has proved almost impossible to overcome for scores of horses in previous years.
“It has proved difficult in the past to come back from Dubai and run well,” leading local trainer John Moore said.
“But that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible.”
Moore has five runners in the race with the best of them, Xtension, having been part of a large Hong Kong contingent to race in Dubai.
Xtension finished fifth behind probable Mile favourite Cityscape in the Dubai Duty Free (1800m), a race in which Sunday’s likely favourite Ambitious Dragon was seventh.
Hong Kong Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges added weight to the concerns about the Champions Mile runners who raced in Dubai, suggesting trainers may have to make a decision in the future on which meeting they target.
“If you want to win the Champions Mile, you may have to stay at home,” he said.
If there is any strength to the Dubai concerns it could swing things in favour of King’s Rose who seems likely to start at lengthy odds on Sunday.
Trainer Peter Moody says he is unconcerned about drawing barrier 11 of 14.
“We would have let her get back a bit no matter where she drew,” Moody said.
King’s Rose, who was bred in New Zealand, has done her recent racing in Australia and is owned in Hong Kong, is on trial for a trip to England where she will be joined by star stablemate Black Caviar.
The mare has settled in well in Hong Kong and on Friday had a casual workout on the all-weather track.
“She’s very well and very fit,” Moody said.
“It’s just a mater of how she measures up against these horses.
“We just have to hope we’re fast enough.”
