Australia’s Lucia Valentina has put in one of the best runs of her career in the Group One Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin on a day of glory for Japan.
Lucia Valentina went out as one of the longest-priced runners in Sunday’s field but turned in an effort for fifth that delighted and surprised both jockey Damien Oliver and trainer Kris Lees.
“That would have won her eight out of 10 Group Ones in Australia,” Oliver said.
“She ran out of her skin.”
The 2000m-race was won by the Japanese runner A Shin Hikari who set a brisk pace in the lead under Yutaka Take and then ran away from his rivals.
Australia’s second Cup contender, the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup placegetter Criterion, finished ninth of the 13 runners after missing the start from his wide gate and never getting into contention.
Lucia Valentina settled midfield and Oliver got her on to the back of Nuovo Record who finished second, giving Japan the quinella.
“She got a lovely run through the field and gave me a really terrific ride,” Oliver said.
“I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised.”
Lees expressed similar sentiments.
“I’m delighted for her and for the owner,” Lees said.
“She justified us bringing her here and as Damien said, she would have won good races at home with a run like that.”
Australia’s only other runner at the meeting, Preferment, finished seventh in the Group One Hong Kong Vase (2400m) with his trainer Chris Waller dismissing the run as “one of those things”.
“It just wasn’t his day. I’m disappointed but we’ll go home and he’ll be back for the autumn,” Waller said.
While a victory on one of the world’s biggest race days eluded Australian-trained horses, the win of Cox Plate placegetter Highland Reel in the Vase (2400m) focused plenty of credit on the local industry.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained and Coolmore-owned colt is a son of the Danehill mare Hveger who is a sister to the Caulfield Cup and Dubai Duty Free winner Elvstroem.
She is also a half-sister to Haradasun, a dual Group One winner in Australia who also won the Group One Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.
In the Group One Hong Kong Mile (1600m), the Japanese runner Maurice scored emphatically, leaving local champion Able Friend in third place.
The Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) went to the locally-trained Peniaphobia and jockey Joao Moreira.
