Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races

[Rileyoriley]

Thanks! Deb

[ArlJim78]

Assuming now that Takeover Target is not running. If he does get in, will make an edit.


1 – Jade Dragonfly / Noble Heart / Tactic King / Vincere
2 – Towering Feeling / Bulldozer / Well Noted / Romantic Green
3 – Maraahel / Shamdala / Collier Hill
4 – Royal Delight / Liberal’s Knight / All’s Well / Planet Ruler
5 – Scintillation / Meisho Bowler / Absolute Champion
6 – JOY and Fun / Bear Macho / Thunder dancing / Pickett
7 – Mustameet / Armada / Floral Pegasus / Sir Ernesto
8 – Pride / Alexander Goldrun / Growl / Vengeance of Rain
9 – Lucky BABY / Good Nature / Bullish Cash / Winning Reward

[my miss storm cat]

Oh man.....

Lame Ouija Board in Doubt for Vase Swansong


Champion European mare Ouija Board is in doubt for tomorrow's Group One The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin.

The mare was found to have soreness in her left front leg when examined by a veterinary officer for the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

The stud bound mare will be examined by stewards tomorrow morning when a final decision will be made as to whether she runs.

Ouija Board, who two runs back won the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs, was to be having her swansong in the Vase.

Owned by Lord Derby, Ouija Board was placed behind Deep Impact in the Japan Cup last month.

http://www.virtualformguide.com/cgi-...9lameouija.txt

http://www.thoroughbrednews.co.nz/in...onal/?id=27014

* * *

Post times...

>>> Hong Kong Cup [2000m, approx 1.25miles], approx $US 2..6mil... Post time Sunday, 5pm... 4am EST USA

>>> Hong Kong Mile [1600m, approx 1mile], approx $US 2.0mil... Post time Sunday, 4:20pm... 3:20am EST USA

>>> Hong Kong Sprint [1200m, approx 6F], approx $US 1.5mil... Post time Sunday, 3:10pm... 2:10am EST USA

>>> Hong Kong Vase [2400m, approx 1.5miles], approx $US 1.8mil, 12F... Post time Sunday, 2pm... 1am EST USA

[my miss storm cat]

Rebel Rebel... blinkers off...
http://www.hkjc.com/english/news/news_2006120914823.htm

Saturday trackwork notes...
http://www.hkjc.com/english/news/news_2006120914826.htm

R4, Ain't Here is scratched...
http://www.hkjc.com/english/news/news_2006120914825.htm

[my miss storm cat]

A lovely piece from Racing Post...

Ouija retires early after injury

by Lee Mottershead

AMID scenes of uncontrollable weeping from her connections, Britain's most popular racehorse and one of the greatest mares to have graced the turf entered retirement on Saturday, as the racing life of the mighty Ouija Board ended a day earlier than anticipated.

Hours ahead of her intended swansong in the Hong Kong Vase, the seven-time Group 1 winner was denied a final hurrah after the recurrence of a splint injury forced owner Lord Derby and trainer Ed Dunlop to bring down the curtain on her glittering career.

A dual Classic heroine and twice victorious at the Breeders' Cup, Ouija Board would have started hot favourite for the Vase, in which a first- or second-place finish would have made her the record prize-money earner in British racing history.

The five-year-old homebred daughter of Cape Cross landed ten of her 22 races, amassing £3,510,682 in prize-money. Only Singspiel earned more.

Three days ago, Ouija Board was announced the ROA/Racing Post Horse of the Year for the second time in three years, having also won the equivalent Cartier Award for 2006.

Reported unsound on her near fore at an early morning inspection on Saturday, Ouija Board was immediately announced an uncertain runner in a statement from the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Following x-rays and an inspection by Dunlop's vet Mike Shepherd, the mare was given special permission by the HKJC to canter on the Sha Tin track in the afternoon. She moved well until taking lame steps at the jog.

"I had been toying with running, thinking should we, shouldn't we, but once Isaw her trot up lame that was it," said Dunlop.

"Teddy has entrusted her care to me, and it was my decision. Time will always tell that it was the right decision. The risk was too high so we retired her and started crying, and now we are not nervous any more."

Dunlop added: "I really wanted to run. With no disrespect to the rest, she won at the Breeders' Cup with her eyes closed. I am always disappointed when she doesn't win, and after her stamina was stretched when she was third in the Japan Cup I wanted to come and win here so she could go out on a high."

Winner of the 2004 Oaks, a race indelibly linked with Derby's family, Ouija Board went on to complete the English-Irish Oaks double at the Curragh, before ending her campaign with another Kieren Fallon-assisted success in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

After winning at Epsom, Lord Derby said: "It is just unbelievable to win this race and follow the example of the 12th Earl, who named this race after his house.

"The boat will be pushed out tonight, after all it is the first time since 1945 that the family has won a Classic. It's great to see the colours go past the post first in any race, but to do it here is simply unbelievable."

Ouija Board was also successful at the highest level in the 2005 Hong Kong Vase, after which Fallon said: "I have ridden some seriously good fillies like Bosra Sham and Islington, and on this evidence she must be right up there with them." Ouija Board added three further top-flight triumphs to her CV this year, landing the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot under Olivier Peslier, before sending Goodwood into delirium with a pulsating short-head defeat of Alexander Goldrun in the Nassau Stakes.

On that occasion, and when dominant for a second time in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Churchill Downs, she was ridden by Frankie Dettori.

The jockey, who had been due to ride her again at Sha Tin, said after that Goodwood glory: "She's one of the all-time favourite horses in England. She's a special filly, one of a kind. She's up there with the best I have ridden. The last filly as good as this one was Balanchine, and that was a few years ago."

On Saturday, Dettori added: "She owes nobody anything. The pleasure she gave the whole world was enormous. I, along with Kieren, Olivier and all associated with her, have been part of a fantastic dream."

Derby, who hopes to have Ouija Board covered by Kingmambo next year and has sent her three-quarter yearling sister to Dunlop, said on Saturday was "terribly emotional".

He added: "I stood there hugging her and started blubbing. It's amazing to think how many races we have been through with her, and it's a relief this happened today not tomorrow. Really, she made the decision."

Robin Trevor-Jones, who travelled the world with the horse he calls "mother" as a key member of Dunlop's team, yesterday called Ouija Board "an absolute legend".

He added: "She's in her box today eating her food. If we had run her, she might not have been in her box this time tomorrow."

Asked what Ouija Board's greatest asset on the course had been, Dunlop pointed to her "great acceleration".

He said: "She was and is better than ever. She is still showing amazing class at the age of five, going into what would have been her tenth race of the year. That's what has made her such a freak.

"We mustn't forget that this is the only sadness we've had with her and the wonderful thing is that she'll be fine to live on and breed.

"The race on Sunday was just a race. We've been very lucky. She has been an unbelievable miracle."


Indeed.

http://www.racingpost.co.uk/news/splash.sd

[brockguy]

Ill never forget Ouija Board.. I still remember her name and catching my eye on her debut..

will have a quick look over the card tomorrow..
I fancy Mustameet and Vengence of Rain though.