Aidan O’Brien’s four-strong Longines Hong Kong International Races assault is slowly gaining momentum after his contingent stretched their legs at Sha Tin on Monday.
After arriving in Hong Kong on Saturday, Aesop’s Fables, Cairo, Luxembourg and Warm Heart cantered a lap of the all-weather track and stable representative Pat Keating confirmed all is going to plan so far.
“They got here on Saturday morning, and everything has been great, not a bother with them. This was their first time on the track this week, just an easy lap behind the lead horse. We’ll just be gradually building it up through the week, but we’re very happy with them,” Keating said.
O’Brien will chase a fourth Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m) victory with star three-year-old filly Warm Heart, while he eyes maiden victories in Sunday’s other three elite-level features.
Luxembourg is the biggest name among the Irish master’s raiding party and he takes aim at Romantic Warrior in the Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m), while Cairo has his sights on Golden Sixty in the Group One Hong Kong Mile and Aesop’s Fables will shape up to Lucky Sweynesse in the Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m).
French trainer Andre Fabre’s pair worked similarly to the O’Brien quartet, and stable representative Richard Lambert confirmed Hong Kong Mile runner Tribalist and Hong Kong Vase participant Junko are well.
“It’s the same whenever we travel horses. The work has already been done, and it’s a case of recuperation and then keeping them ticking over. They’ll do no more than usual,” Lambert said.
“They’ve both travelled over well and settled in. It was quite cold when we left Chantilly, whereas it’s quite warm here for the time of year. The horses are well. Junko has already been to Dubai, but this is a first voyage for Tribalist, and it helps that they are together.”
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