Khaadem’s Hong Kong Sprint bid will take centre stage at Sha Tin on 14 December, as the nine-year-old prepares to attempt what no horse of his age has achieved in the HK$28 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m).
Khaadem will head into the meeting as one of the most experienced runners in the field. Now rising ten, he will arrive in Hong Kong after rediscovering form in the United States, most recently finishing third in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (1200m). His trainer Charlie Hills will keep the veteran based in the US until departure to Hong Kong, believing the lighter travel schedule will help maintain his condition.
Hills confident as Khaadem targets Hong Kong (Khaadem Hong Kong Sprint bid)
Hills will continue to take confidence from Khaadem’s strong recent performances, including his G2 Woodford Stakes (1100m) victory at Keeneland on his penultimate start. That display demonstrated that the gelding still possesses his trademark late burst, a trait Hills believes will be suited to Sha Tin’s straight and sweeping layout.
Oisin Murphy will reunite with Khaadem for the first time since their Royal Ascot success, giving the team an added layer of familiarity. The stable will decide closer to the meeting whether blinkers will be reapplied, after they produced a positive effect at Del Mar during the Breeders’ Cup.
Hills will remain encouraged by the horse’s soundness and maturity, especially given Khaadem’s long career. He will continue training in a settled routine in the US, a preparation method the stable believes has strengthened his temperament and consistency.
Khaadem to face rising local star Ka Ying Rising
Khaadem will line up against local champion Ka Ying Rising, who will head the home defence on 14 December. Hills will welcome the challenge, acknowledging the quality of the opposition but maintaining belief that his gelding’s racing style and professionalism will offer him a competitive platform.
The HK$130 million LONGINES Hong Kong International Races will unfold across four Group 1 contests at Sha Tin on Sunday, 14 December, where Khaadem will attempt to extend a career that has already delivered Group 1 success at an advanced age.
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