Hong Kong!

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

Who are these horses?

I'm not being sarcastic..... do you want a list?

Billet Express won the Chairman's Sprint Prize, Helene (he's a he) won the Macau Trophy.

Ummm..... The Duke, I believe won the trial prior to the Sha Tin Mile.....

Dave's Best..... very nice horse who (along with BE and The Duke) should be favored here. He's probably the best horse in the field.

My pick, Regency Horse, showed some flashes of brilliance earlier in the year.....

Able Prince pulled off a couple of upsets last Fall but really had a mediocre spring..... same with Planet Ruler.

Anyway, it's a nice group.....

[my miss storm cat]

It's about time!

From South China Morning Post...

Wednesday, September 6, 2006

Champions Mile joins Group One company
MURRAY BELL

Hong Kong now has six races of international Group One status following the elevation of the Champions Mile to the sport's ultimate level of recognition.
The Champions Mile was a HK$4.5 million, domestic Group One event until the creation of the Asian Mile Challenge in 2005, which earned it a HK$3.5 million promotion to a total value of HK$8 million, in keeping with the prestige of the new series.

After two runnings as a HK$8 million race, both of which have been won by Bullish Luck, the International Cataloguing Standards Committee has agreed to the promotion of the Champions Mile to international Group One status.

Hong Kong's other five international Group Ones are the four features of the Cathay Pacific International Races (the Hong Kong Sprint, Mile, Cup and Vase) and the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup. The Jockey Club hosts another eight domestic Group Ones on top of the six internationals, giving it 14 in total.

Until now, the Champions Mile - the third of four legs of the Asian Mile Challenge (AMC), the world's richest racing series worth a combined US$12.6 million including bonuses - was the only AMC leg not to enjoy international Group One status.

"Anything that enhances the prestige and quality of one of our most important races is terrific news and clearly the Asian Mile Challenge will also benefit from this upgrade," said the club's executive director of racing, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.

"Having each one of our international events at the highest class also strengthens Hong Kong's role as a one of racing's global leaders," he added.

This season's Champions Mile will he staged on April 29 at Sha Tin.