This year's HK$14m Audemars Piguet QEII Cup (Gr.1-2000m) on 23 April has attracted a total of 90 first nominations, including 22 individual Gr.1 winners from 14 racing jurisdictions.
Top-ranked among the early nominations is David Junior (123), the highest-rated horse in training in Britain and a horse from whom much is expected this year after a fine victory against older horses in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket last year.
Ouija Board (117), the Queen of the Turf in Britain, is also pencilled-in for a return trip to Sha Tin just months after an imperious triumph in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase.
Trainer Dermot Weld has engaged Grey Swallow (122), the 2004 Budweiser Irish Derby and 2005 Tattersalls Gold Cup (Gr.1) winner who is currently being prepared for the Dubai World Cup. Another Irish entrant is Alexander Goldrun (119), the former Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup heroine.
Godolphin has made four entries, principally two very smart recruits at the end of last year in multiple Gr.1 victors Electrocutionist (121) and Valixir (121).
Vengeance Of Rain, hero of this race in 2005, is being spelled but the next three past the post on that occasion - Greys Inn, Russian Pearl and Super Kid - are in line for repeat attempts.
Pride, Maraahel and Touch Of Land (victorious at Gr.2 level in Dubai last week) were all vanquished by Vengeance Of Rain in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup in December but have been entered for the April 23 showpiece.
Last year a strong Australian contingent for this race went home empty-handed so Lad Of The Manor, the top-ranked horse Down Under, may attempt set the record straight. Connections of Perfect Promise, Vouvray, Calveen and New Zealand galloper Snazzy are also considering tilts at the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup.
Entries from the United States are every bit as impressive. Top-ranked of the American hopefuls is Gr.1 winner Shakespeare. Then there is Host (a former Classic winner in Chile) and the Brazilian import Einstein, also successful at the highest level in Florida on February 25. Relaxed Gesture is another candidate from the States - he won the Pattison Canadian International in 2005.
Victory in this race for Japan in 2002 and 2003 for Eishin Preston made him a national superstar. Now Cosmo Bulk (117) and Daiwa Major (117), both Gr.1 placed, are out to join that elite club of Japanese winners overseas.
South African trainer Mike de Kock, second last year with Greys Inn, is chasing his first Hong Kong success and means business again in 2006, nominating seven horses headed by Irridescence, a recent Listed winner in Dubai and one of the leading fancies for the Dubai Duty Free.
Russian Pearl heads the 23 Hong Kong entries with John Moore's in-form Super Kid also figuring prominently after his last start victory in the Hong Kong Gold Cup
The team behind River Dancer, the shock winner for Hong Kong 2004, will be hoping lightning can strike twice and look out for Viva Pataca, a strong fancy for the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby on March 26 and potentially the next superstar of Hong Kong racing.
Courtesy of HKJC.
