SCMP...
Redragtoabull becomes latest Derby casualty after freak accident
Alan Aitken
The pace of the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby on Sunday threatens to descend into farce after the race lost both of its speed horses in the space of a day when Redragtoabull dropped out of the field with injury yesterday.
On the weekend, Tony Cruz-trained frontrunner Dream Horse was withdrawn after his owner did not want to proceed without brilliant Belgian rider Christophe Soumillon as the horse's partner.
That left Redragtoabull the most likely to take the field along in the Derby after a dashing frontrunning exhibition that almost stole the Derby Trial last time out. But an unusual stable accident has ended the John Moore-trained gelding's campaign for the classic and quite possibly most of his season.
"Redragtoabull fell over in his box and injured his spleen," said Moore yesterday. "We looked over him with the ultrasound and it appears he has suffered some internal bleeding as a result. The outlook for the horse now is that he needs two to three weeks rest in the stable, and that means we probably won't see him race again until the very end of the season."
Moore still has two runners in the Derby and reported that his frontline hope, likely hot favourite Collection, remains in good order: "Collection is in great form. He'll have one more 1,200m gallop this week and he'll be ready to rumble."
Redragtoabull's withdrawal has not only left the race tempo up in the air, it has also led to a jockey reshuffle, with his rider, Weichong Marwing, switching to stablemate King's Falcon, the runner-up to Unique Jewellery in the Derby Trial on February 15.
Three-time Derby winner Gerald Mosse has also been snapped up by Dennis Yip Chor-hong for Plan Ex, while Peter Ho Leung has gone for an injection of big-race experience for his Mr Medici, with Eric Saint-Martin taking over from local rider Alex Lai Hoi-wing, who handled the four-year-old in both his domestic starts.
The two withdrawals have given Derby starts to Caspar Fownes-trained Above All and Tony Millard's South African import, Galaxy Treasure, and the latter will have new club jockey Jeff Lloyd aboard on the first day of his licence.
Meanwhile, another Moore-trained star, six-time Group One winner Viva Pataca has had a change of plan heading for the Audemars Piguet QE II Cup next month.
"We had thought about keeping him ticking with trackwork and trials but I didn't feel the horse was quite as fit as he could be and the best way to get him hard fit is solid racing," Moore said.
"So he will switch back to a mile again in the Chairman's Trophy on April 5.
The mile is a touch short for him nowadays, but he still races well at it. That will do him more good than a 1,600m barrier trial and that then gives us three weeks into the QE II Cup."
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Lucky Quality... arrives in Dubai, Olivier Doleuze has the mount.
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Retired...Adaikali, Lucky Fruit, Sounds Fantastic, Go Johnny Go, Royal Pride and I'm forgetting a few...
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To the Premier Plate... Jackpot Delight, Bullish Cash, Viva Macau, Best Friend!
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Tuesday barrier trials... Lady First (she wasn't last!) and He Can Tango in batch 3.
http://www.hkjc.com/english/press/btrs.asp
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The Derby won't be the same without him. Feel better, good boy.