Liberty Island, Soul Rush's second place best effort from Japan at Hong Kong International Races

Liberty Island

Tastiera

Soul Rush

Jantar Mantar

Satono Reve

Toshin Macau

Lugal

Stellenbosch

Pradaria

Japan missed out on winning a Grade 1 race on foreign soil for the sixth straight year after failing to produce victory at the Longines Hong Kong International Races on Sunday (8 December).

Liberty Island’s second place in the flagship race, the Hong Kong Cup, and Soul Rush’s runner-up finish in the Hong Kong Mile were the best the JRA runners could manage from the four top-flight races on this afternoon at Sha Tin Racecourse.

In other results, Stellenbosch and Pradaria placed third and 11th in the 2,400-meter Hong Kong Vase while Satono Reve, Toshin Macau and Lugal placed third, ninth and 11th, respectively, in the 1,200m Hong Kong Sprint.

Jantar Mantar did not fare as well in the Hong Kong Mile, ending up 13th out of 14. Last year’s Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) champion Tastiera trailed Liberty Island at third in the 2,000m Hong Kong Cup.

The Hong Kong Cup proved to be slightly too much even for Liberty Island, the 2023 filly’s Triple Crown winner, and Tastiera as Romantic Warrior romped to an unprecedented third straight win. The six-year-old crowd favorite under James McDonald who topped the Yasuda Kinen this past June cruised in 2 minutes, 0.51 seconds, departing from the inside barrier to comfortably take the tape first.

Liberty Island’s team was pleased with their filly’s effort and could only tip their hat to Romantic Warrior, who became the winningest horse in Hong Kong racing history.

“We lost hands down to Romantic Warrior who was unbelievable. I think Liberty Island gave it everything she had,” trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida said. “Before the race, I spoke with (jockey Yuga) Kawada about the importance of rhythm, how we wanted Liberty Island to run her race. I think the jockey did exactly that; Liberty Island closed like she always does and we were happy with the run - especially after the way she ran her last race.

“Everyone on the team poured their heart into it. She traveled well, finished the race well. There were so many people who backed us and I just want to express my gratitude to each and every one of them. I like to think the horse responded and I believe the experience this time around will pay off down the road somewhere.”

Added Kawada, “Liberty Island was in very good condition for the race - exceptional. Our plan for the race was to keep her feeling good throughout.

With one horse head and shoulders above the rest, we wanted to make sure to keep her away from him during the trip. Our hope was to try to catch him from afar.

“But we were going up against a legendary Hong Kong champion so it is what it is. We got as close as we could. We gave it our best shot and I can live with that.”

Tastiera tried to keep up with Romantic Warrior but succumbed in the end, fading down the stretch as his opponent kept pulling away.

“He did what he could against Romantic Warrior today,” said Damian Lane, who rode Tastiera. “We traveled in good position. He lost some horse in trying to gain that position, but he was relaxed, in rhythm during the journey.

“I saw a lot of growth physically, mentally since the Japanese Derby. He ran his heart out.”

Soul Rush did well to gain on Voyage Bubble, another mount of McDonald’s, from behind in the Hong Kong Mile. Trainer Yasutoshi Ikee felt the draw - Soul Rush was in gate No. 10, Voyage Bubble No. 5 - may have been the difference.

“I think he did well,” Ikee said. “He started well but given the draw, it wasn’t easy for him. He really showed what he had down the stretch.”

Jantar Mantar looked like he would have his moment turning for home but then failed to accelerate, slipping to next to last in the field. His camp was despondent after the race with the confidence it had in the horse’s form.

Said the three-year-old colt’s trainer Tomokazu Takano, “The result is a little bit disappointing. I thought he was in tip-top form but with the way things turned out, maybe he wasn’t in the best shape he could have been in. That may not explain everything so we’ll turn over every stone and look into it.”

Kawada echoed Takano, saying, “I thought he was in very good condition going into the race, and he felt good as he traveled next to the winning horse. But unfortunately, he took a pretty hard hit turning for home and things didn’t turn out the way we had hoped. It was disappointing, especially for the horse in particular. But it was his first start overseas and I just hope he manages to build on this experience for the future.

Satono Reve was the closest to victory among the Japanese raiders on this day, pulling within three-quarters of a length of winner Ka Ying Rising in the Hong Kong Sprint.

“He ran a fantastic race. He only lost to two very good horses who were at home,” Joao Moreira said. “He finished strong but it just wasn’t enough. I’m happy with the way he ran today.”

Toshin Macau and Lugal, unfortunately, were never in the race after a faulty start and failed to recover from thereon.

Said Toshin Macau’s trainer Mizuki Takayanagi, “He had to play catch up after getting a bad jump out of the gate. And it wasn’t easy for him during the race either. We’re happy with the buildup we had thanks to the Hong Kong Jockey Club. We appreciate it.”

“A bad start unraveled everything during the race. He came on strong at the finish but was too far outside,” jockey Akira Sugawara said. “Not to mention over a bad patch of the turf. He just couldn’t run the way I had hoped. It was not the race I imagined.”

Lugal’s trainer Haruki Sugiyama and jockey Atsuya Nishimura did not mask their disappointment after the race ended for their horse right off the bat.

“After he fell so far behind at the start I didn’t think we had a chance. But looking at it from Nishimura’s view, he couldn’t throw in the towel,” Sugiyama said.

“So they came around on the outside but didn’t have enough to finish strong. I thought he was in pretty good shape coming into this race but on the day, I have to admit he didn’t look like the horse who won the Sprinters Stakes. He didn’t seem to have the focus or be in the zone back then. He seemed like his mind was elsewhere when he entered the gate.

“But I think he will build on this experience for the next. We have to make it count.”

Added Nishimura, “The start was everything, I have to say. Given the track conditions, inside and out matters. This one is on me.”

Another Moreira mount, Stellenbosh, went off as the betting favorite in the Hong Kong Vase but came home six lengths out of first place, won by Giavellotto. Trainer Sakae Kunieda was left shaking his head following the lukewarm performance from his Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) winner.

“I thought she ran a tough race but she placed third at the end of the day so it is disappointing,” Kunieda said of his 3-year-old. “The plan was for her to get off to a fast start then position towards the front - but she fell behind. She did well to stay patient on the final straight but the winner was on the inside so there was some ground we had to make up.

“Stellenbosh was calm, and I don’t think she had any issues throughout her time in Hong Kong. She is much better than this so if we have another opportunity, I do hope we can race overseas again.”

“She ran a fantastic race. She was unlucky with the draw and couldn’t position on the inside but she’s an excellent horse. I’m proud of her performance today,” Moreira said.

Reactions from the Pradaria team are as follows.

Trainer Manabu Ikezoe:
“He was in good condition. I thought all we had to do was wait for the race to start. He was pushed to the front - something he had never experienced before - and looked great during the travel. I wasn’t sure how he’d quicken with the slow pace but it was not his day. I’m just thankful for the owners for giving us this opportunity.”

Jockey Cristian Demuro:
“He was in front but couldn’t cut the pace he needed to win. He didn’t respond in the end.”

Official Results: Cup, Mile, Sprint, Vase

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