Hong Kong contenders for Yasuda Kinen (G1) arrive safely in Japan

Sight Winner

The three Hong Kong runners for the June 6 Yasuda Kinen (G1) arrived safely at Narita International Airport on Tuesday, May 25 and were transported safely to quarantine completing a trip from Sha Tin Racecourse that lasted a total of 10 hours.

The three geldings – Sight Winner, Beauty Flash and Fellowship -- landed at Narita International Airport some 60 km east of Tokyo Station at 6:10 a.m. and were transported to the JRA Horseracing School Quarantine Center in Shiroi, Chiba Prefecture, where they arrived at 9:21 a.m. There, the three will begin acclimatization and preparation for the Yasuda Kinen to be held at Tokyo Racecourse. They are expected to move to the Tokyo venue international stables early next week.

Kwok Wai Chan, assistant trainer for Sight Winner, said, "This is his second time to Japan. His condition is good and there is no big difference between it now and before he was transported. We plan to do two fast workouts at the Racing School. After that I'll be waiting for further instructions from the trainer." Sight Winner is trained by John Size and owned by Wing Kun Tam.

Sight Winner will be racing abroad for his second time after last year's Yasuda Kinen, in which he finished in sixth place 4 lengths off the winner Vodka. The Faltaat-sired Sight Winner, now 7 years old, has been winless since the race prior to last year's Yasuda, the 2009 Champions Mile (G1) in Hong Kong. In his 10 starts following the 2009 Yasuda Kinen, he has failed to make the money in all but one race, a second-place finish in the Cathay Pacific International Mile Trial (HKG2) at Sha Tin last November.

He is coming off a fourth-place finish two and a half lengths off the winner Able One in the April 25 Champions Mile at Sha Tin.

Beauty Flash

Beauty Flash as well was said to be doing fine. According to assistant trainer Chung Hon Tse, "He's maintaining his condition and doing well. As far as his workouts go, we'll be looking at his condition and will probably do one or two mornings of fast work. The first blowout is scheduled for Friday at this point." Beauty Flash is trained by Anthony Cruz and owned by Siu Ming Kwok.

The Golan-sired Beauty Flash, 5 years old and currently with 7 wins in 14 starts, finished in third place the last time out in the Hong Kong Champions Mile (G1) a length and a half off the winner. Beauty Flash won the Hong Kong Classic Mile (HKG1) in January and has had two third-place finishes in this year's five starts. The Classic Mile was his only win at the mile. His other six wins have been over shorter distances, five at 1,400 meters and one over 1,200 meters.

Fellowship is also "in top form," said assistant trainer Hau Lai Suen. "There are no changes at this time. We'll be doing many light gallops while at the racing school and then plan to do some fast work once we move to Tokyo Racecourse." Fellowship is trained by Paul O'Sullivan and owned by Wai Kin Sun.

Fellowship

The oldest of the Hong Kong participants, Fellowship, at 8 years old, is having the best season of the three. His last time out in the Champions Mile (G1) in April saw him finish as runnerup, 3/4 length off the winner. It was his third race this year. He won the Stewards' Cup, a Hong Kong G1 mile in January and followed that with a second-place run over 1,400 meters in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (HKG1) in March. Fellowship, by O'Reilly, was third in last year's yearend Hong Kong Mile (G1) at Sha Tin. Bred in New Zealand, as were the other two geldings, Fellowship ran three races in New Zealand before moving to Hong Kong. Two of those races, both wins, were over a left-hand course. All others have been to the right. He is currently 9 for 28.

Fellowship is the only of the three Hong Kong horses to have won over a left-hand course. Sight Winner's only experience over a course run to the left was at Tokyo Racecourse in last year's Yasuda. Beauty Flash has yet to race in a counterclockwise direction.

The Yasuda Kinen will be held over 1,600 meters at Tokyo Racecourse with a total purse of 211 million yen, of which 100 million will be awarded to the winner.