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A strong group of international horses will compete in four top class races in the Hong Kong International Festival at Sha Tin Racecourse on Saturday night (Sunday afternoon in Hong Kong). But while most of the major racing countries in the world will field a representative at Sha Tin, North America will once again stand on the sidelines without a contender for a major international race.
While we can put a majority of the absence on American runners in big international races on the lack of emphasis on grass racing in this country, it's still a little disheartening that year after year American trained horses sit on the sidelines while the rest of the world competes in races like the Arc, the Japan and Hong Kong Cups. Whether it's the Melbourne Cup or the Epsom Derby, the American horses are a constant no-show. If it wasn't for the Dubai World Cup, as well as the sporting nature of Wesley Ward and the Ramsey's in traveling to Royal Ascot, nary an animal would leave our shores to take on horses in other parts of the world. (There are a few American-bred horses entered in the four Hong Kong International stakes events (and a couple that have raced in North America) but none are trained in the U.S.)
Perhaps the reasoning is more than simply surface preference or the lack of permissible race day medications in every jurisdiction outside North America. But whatever the reason may be, the American horse that travels away from its shores for a major international meet is a rare occurrence.
Four races comprise Saturday's (Sunday's) Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin: G1-Hong Kong Cup, G1-Hong Kong Vase, G1-Hong Kong Mile, and G1-Hong Kong Sprint. Below is a summary of the race conditions, order and post times. The first of the four stakes races is scheduled for 2:00pm Hong Kong time on Sunday. That's 10:00pm on Saturday night for you West Coasters and, ahem, 1:00am on Sunday for those of your on the East Coast. (Assuming I've done all these conversion correctly.) All four races will be broadcast live on TVG; set the DVR!
I was incorrect about the TV situation; there appears to be no US broadcast of any of these races this year. Apparently, we are still living in the stone age.
| Post Time | Race | Dist | Purse |
| 1:00am ET / 10:00pm PT | G1-Hong Kong Vase | 12.0 | $1,934,000 |
| 1:40am ET / 10:40pm PT | G1-Hong Kong Sprint | 6.0 | $1,934,000 |
| 2:50am ET / 11:50pm PT | G1-Hong Kong Mile | 8.0 | $2,578,000 |
| 3:30am ET / 12:30am PT | G1-Hong Kong Cup | 10.0 | $2,836,000 |
Past performances for all four stakes races at Sha Tin can be found at the Hong Kong Jockey Club site. Links are below
Hong Kong Vase PPs
Hong Kong Sprint PPs
Hong Kong Mile PPs
Hong Kong Cup PPs
Below are the entries and post positions for the 2012 Hong Kong International Race. Odds will be updated later.
Cirrus des Aigles (FR), second to Frankel (GB) in the Group 1 British Champions Stakes in October, scratched out of the Hong Kong Cup.
The odds below are the Hong Kong pari-mutuel odds from earlier today.
| G1-Hong Kong Vase | ||||
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
| 1 | Sea Moon (GB) | R. Moore | M. Stoute | SCR |
| 2 | Dunaden (FR) | C. Williams | M. Delazangels | 7/2 |
| 3 | Meandre (FR) | M. Guyon | A. Fabre | 8/1 |
| 4 | Chinchon (IRE) | O. Doleuze | C. Laffon-Parias | 18/1 |
| 5 | Joshua Tree (IRE) | C. Soumillon | M. Botti | 11/1 |
| 6 | Red Cadeaux (GB) | G. Mosse | E. Dunlop | 8/1 |
| 7 | Dandino (GB) | J. Crowley | J. Fanshawe | 23/1 |
| 8 | Jaguar Mail (JPN) | D. Whyte | N. Hori | 24/1 |
| 9 | Liberator (AUS) | W.C. Marwing | D. Ferraris | 9/1 |
| 10 | Scarlet Camellia (NZ) | Z. Purton | C. Shum | 13/1 |
| 11 | Dancing Rain (IRE) | J. Murtagh | W.J. Haggas | 10/1 |
| 12 | Pagera (FR) | O. Peslier | H-A Pantall | 15/1 |
| 13 | Bayrir (FR) | C. Lemaire | A. de Royer-Dupre | 10/1 |
| G1-Hong Kong Sprint | ||||
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
| 1 | Lucky Nine (IRE) |
B. Prebble | C. Fownes | 4/1 |
| 2 | Super Easy (NZ) |
J. Moreira | M.J. Freedman | 13/1 |
| 3 | Joy and Fun (NZ) |
G. Mosse | D. Cruz | 18/1 |
| 4 | Lord Kanaola (JPN) |
Y. Iwata | T. Yasuda | 4/1 |
| 5 | Admiration (AUS) |
N. Callan | J. Moore | 19/1 |
| 6 | Leading City (AUS) |
M. Chadwick | J. Moore | 36/1 |
| 7 | Time After Time (AUS) |
D. Whyte | J. Moore | 9/2 |
| 8 | Captain Sweet (SAF) |
J. McDonald | J. Moore | 20/1 |
| 9 | Cerise Cherry (SAF) |
R. Fourie | D. Cruz | 15/1 |
| 10 | Flying Blue (AUS) |
U. Rispoli | D. Cruz | 56/1 |
| 11 | Sea Siren (AUS) |
J. Cassidy | J. O'Shea | 12/1 |
| 12 | Curren Chan (JPN) |
K. Ikezoe | T. Yasuda | 24/1 |
| G1-Hong Kong Mile | ||||
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
| 1 | Ambitious Dragon (NZ) | Z. Purton | A.T. Millard | 5/2 |
| 2 | Xtension (IRE) | J. McDonald | J. Moore | 7/1 |
| 3 | Glorious Days (AUS) | D. Whyte | J. Size | 7/2 |
| 4 | Gordon Lord Byron (IRE) | W. Buick | T.A. Hogan | 52/1 |
| 5 | Sadamu Patek (JPN) | Y. Take | M. Nishizono | 24/1 |
| 6 | Grand Prix Boss (JPN) | H. Uchida | Y. Yahagi | 19/1 |
| 7 | Pure Champion (IRE) | M. Chadwick | A.S. Cruz | 33/1 |
| 8 | Don Bosco (FR) | O. Peslier | D. Smaga | 44/1 |
| 9 | Master of Hounds | C. Soumillon | W.J. Haggas | 42/1 |
| 10 | Packing Whiz (IRE) | B. Prebble | J. Moore | 13/2 |
| 11 | Packing Ok (AUS) | W.C. Marwing | J. Moore | 40/1 |
| 12 | Siyouma (IRE) | G. Mosse | F. Doumen | 17/1 |
| G1-Hong Kong Cup | ||||
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
| 1 | Cirrus des Aigles (FR) | O. Peslier | C. Barande-Barbe | SCR |
| 2 | California Memory | M. Chadwick | A.S. Cruz | 3/1 |
| 3 | Carlongton Hous | R. Moore | M. Stoute | 15/2 |
| 4 | Alcopop (AUS) | C. Williams | J. Stephens | 18/1 |
| 5 | Sweet Orange | W.C. Marwing | D.E. Ferraris | SCR |
| 6 | Irian (GER) | G. Mosse | J. Moore | 11/2 |
| 7 | Zaidan | J. McDonald | J. Moore | 9/1 |
| 8 | Dan Excel (IRE) | N. Callan | J. Moore | 15/1 |
| 9 | Military Attack (IRE) | B. Prebble | J. Moore | 17/1 |
| 10 | Saonois (FR) | A. Hamelin | J-P. Gauvin | 15/1 |
| 11 | Feuerblitz (GER) | M. Guyon | M. Figge | 50/1 |
| 12 | Autumn Gold (GER) | D. Whyte | S. Woods | 15/2 |
| 13 | Giofra (GB) | C. Soumillon | A. de Royer-Dupre | 14/1 |
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