Hong Kong: Japan’s Queens Ring will bid to become only the sixth filly in history to win the HK$25 million Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
The only filly in a class-packed field of 12, the in-form four-year-old bids to emulate Snow Fairy who won the prestigious contest in 2010.
Dubai Godolphin stable, who are not represented at this year’s event have won the Cup twice, first in 2000 with Fantastic Light and again in 2007 with Ramonti.
Queens Ring is by Manhattan Cafe, the Japan Racing Association’s (JRA) champion older horse in 2002, and was bred at Shadai Farm, one of the biggest breeding and training operations in Japan.
“When I saw her for the first time in Shadai Farm three years ago, I thought she had a very beautiful face and good conformation,” said trainer Keiji Yoshimura, who received his JRA trainer’s licence in 2011.
“I thought she was a very good filly with good balance, neither too big nor too small.”
A versatile performer, the filly has won from 1400m to 2200m on going ranging from firm to yielding.
Her regular rider, the Italian champion Mirco Demuro, received his full-term jockey licence from the JRA last year and claimed an 18th Group 1 win in Japan with Queens Ring’s QEII success.
“She is a very smart horse and strong mentally. She has a brilliant turn of foot,” he said.
Queens Ring has looked settled at track work this week, having travelled to Hong Kong without a fuss, and has adapted well to her new surroundings. And even though she has drawn outside in gate 11 of 12, Yoshimura remains optimistic.
“She raced well from outer barriers in Japan, and Mirco has been riding her for a long time,” he said. “Mirco knows her and Hong Kong racing very well. I trust the pair and will leave the strategy to him.”
Meanwhile, Highland Reel will also have to overcome a wide draw as he bids to become just the third dual winner of the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Vase, another of the quarter of Group 1 contests that comprise a mouth-watering card.
The other events are the Longines Hong Kong Sprint and the Longines Hong Kong Mile.
