The depth of this year’s LONGINES Hong Kong Vase became clear at Thursday’s barrier draw, where trainers and jockeys assessed their chances in a race shaped more by tight ratings than by reputation. With little separating the main contenders, starting positions took on added significance ahead of Sunday’s (14 December) feature at Sha Tin.
Several leading runners drew favourably, though Los Angeles and Ryan Moore will need to overcome a wide position in stall 10 in the first of the four Group 1 contests on LONGINES Hong Kong International Races day. Al Riffa, Urban Chic and Sosie — all prominent in international markets — fared better with gates two, three and eight respectively.
Francis-Henri Graffard expressed confidence after Goliath secured barrier four, suggesting the colt has returned to Hong Kong in far better order than when he disappointed in April.
“He’s really well now and while he has had far from a perfect season, he could finish off in style,” Graffard said. “He is in terrific form and this week you are seeing the Goliath that we all love to see. He is a happy horse who is moving very well and I’m delighted with him.”
Last year’s Vase winner Giavellotto will again command attention. His victory over Dubai Honour in 2024 came under Oisin Murphy, but trainer Marco Botti has reinstated Andrea Atzeni, who partnered the horse when finishing fourth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) in October.
Speaking to media, Atzeni highlighted the progress Giavellotto has made since his early days, when he was talented but immature.
“In his early days, I remember hitting the front on him at York and he hung left; he was very immature,” Atzeni said. “In Europe, he never won by very far, so I was actually very surprised to see him pull that far clear here last year.
“He’s just a different horse; he’s mature mentally and over a mile and a half with a good pace, he’s got quicker with age and now shows much more speed.”
Atzeni also offered insight into the local challenge, identifying John Size’s Bundle Award as a horse capable of shaping the race under James McDonald. The five-year-old has impressed in recent work, with McDonald reporting steady improvement.
“He’s trialled really well since his last run,” McDonald said. “I find the Hong Kong horses at this meeting, they’re so hard to beat, even if they’re a little bit inferior to the overseas travellers.
“This horse is in really great form. His lead-up race was really good when he broke from out the back and rattled home in really good sectionals. He’s a young horse on the rise. The internationals will be very hard to beat, but I rode a horse called Ensued in the Vase last year and finished fourth, and this horse is better or at least as good.”
Sunday’s programme begins at 12.25pm with the Class 4 Fairy King Prawn Handicap (1400m), before attention turns to one of the most competitive editions of the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase in recent years — a race defined by narrow margins on ratings and sharpened further by Thursday’s draw.
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