1 of 4 | Romantic Warrior wins Sunday’s Group 2 Jockey Club Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse. Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club
Nov. 18 (UPI) — Hong Kong horses, led by Romantic Warrior, put on quite the show Sunday as they prepared for the arrival of overseas competition next month, and Japanese runners turned back a foreign assault of their own, defeating European star Charyn in the Group 1 Mile Championship.
All of those results will reverberate well into the new year and across the globe.
In North America, there were stirrings among the 2-year-olds and at least one ambitious candidate to take on those Hong Kong stars.
Away we go.
Around the world, around the clock
Japan
Soul Rush seized control in the stretch run of Sunday’s Grade 1 Mile Championship at Kyoto Racecourse and got away to a 2 1/2-length victory, leaving in his wake the last two years’ winners and Europe’s current top miler, Charyn.
The victory was the first at the top level for Soul Rush, a 6-year-old son of Rulership. Charyn, a 4-year-old Dark Angel colt, had scored three Group 1 wins in Europe earlier this season.
Also finishing in Soul Rush’s wake were the 2022 Mile Championship winner, Serifos (Japan), who reported sixth, and 2023 winner Namur (Japan), who faded badly in the late going and was distanced.
Charyn’s jockey, Ryan Moore, said he lost all chance after a tardy start and did well to rally to finish fifth. Taisei Danno, who rode Soul Rush, had the opposite take.
Saturday provided a peek at the 2025 Classics as Croix du Nord won the Grade 2 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse by 3/4 length from Satono Shining.
Jockey Yuichi Kitamura said the colt wasn’t in top shape while making his second start following a win June 9. But, he added, “If he could race like this today, I hope it will be easy for him to show his ability next time.”
The race is an important steppingstone to glory. Equinox won in 2021.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s finest showed their stuff Sunday in preparation for the Dec. 8 Longines Hong Kong International Races. Potential invaders, be afraid.
Romantic Warrior in the Jockey Club Cup, Ka Ying Rising in the Jockey Club Sprint and Voyage Bubble in the Jockey Club Mile all showed they’re ready and able to take on foreign callers.
Romantic Warrior and Ka Ying Rising were particularly impressive. Romantic Warrior, off a five-month layoff, simply dominated his field and Ka Ying Rising lowered Silent Witness’ course record for 1,200 meters while strolling home well in front of his rivals.
Voyage Bubble’s win came at the expense of several other locals and all of them will be ready to peak in December at Sha Tin Racecourse.
Australia
Kimochi, at odds of 25-1, chased down favorite Another Wil in Saturday’s Group 1 Sportsbet Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield by 1/2 length. Kimochi, a 4-year-old Brave Smash filly, got her second win of the season and fourth of her career.
The Group 1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas produced another upset, as Another Prophet, at 30-1, got home first, 1/2 length ahead of the favorite, Aeliana. Another Prophet, a daughter of Brazen Belle, also won for the second time in the season.
Bahrain
First it was Coolmore pacesetter Point Lonsdale giving way to Juddmonte hope Lead Artist in the stretch run of Friday night’s $1 million Group 2 Bahrain International Trophy. Then it was Lead Artist surrendering grudgingly to the eventual winner, Spirit Dancer.
A Frankel gelding, Spirit Dancer raced far back in the field before building a steady head of steam out wide on the course that finally saw him home first by 1 1/4 lengths. It was a repeat win for the gelding.
Meanwhile, back in North America:
Juvenile
Bullard rallied professionally from last of five to win Sunday’s $100,000 Grade III Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar by 4 3/4 lengths over first-time starter Madaket Road.
A Gun Runner colt trained by Michael McCarthy, Bullard ran 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:22.55 with Umberto Rispoli at the controls, benefitting from a fast early pace. He won his only previous start Sept. 1 at Del Mar with a similar effort, coming from last of seven that day.
On the turf, Jack and Jim came five-wide into the stretch run in Saturday’s $100,000 Central Park Stakes at Aqueduct and ran on to win by 1/2 length over fellow closer Smooth Breeze. The favorite, Early Adopter, was third.
Jack and Jim, a New York-bred Slumber colt from Graham Motion’s barn, improved to 2-for-2.
Juvenile Fillies
Four started in Saturday’s $100,000 Dezi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar and the winner was the only one not trained by Bob Baffert.
Practical Dream, from the barn of former Baffert assistant Tim Yakteen, led throughout the 7 furlongs and got home first by 1 1/4 lengths.
The odds-on favorite, Silent Law, was second, followed by Mawu and Two Bar. Practical Dream, by Practical Joke, now has two wins and a second in the Anoakia Stakes — behind Silent Law.
On Saturday at Gulfstream Park, Mrs Worldwide dueled to the lead in mid-stretch in the $85,000 Juvenile Fillies Turf Sprint and sprinted away to a 1 3/4-length victory. Volatiled and the favorite, Bella Cleopatra, were second and third.
Mrs Worldwide, a daughter of Global Campaign, got her second win from five starts.
On the grass, Laurelin outfinished Five G by a neck in Sunday’s $135,000 Tepin Stakes at Aqueduct, running 1 mile on firm going in 1:36.85.
Woodbine
Nobals, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner, missed this year’s World Championships so trainer Larry Rivelli sent him up to Woodbine to take on the local sprint champ, Patches O’Houlihan, in Saturday’s $175,000 (Canadian) Grade II Kennedy Road Stakes on the all-weather course.
He got the job done, dueling with the pacesetting favorite before edging away to win by 3/4 length. War Bomber was 4 1/4 lengths farther back in third.
Rivelli has entered Nobals, a $3,500 purchase at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Fall Yearling Sale, in the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint on Dec. 8.
Wicked Django got first run to the lead in Saturday’s $210,000 (Canadian) Grade II Autumn Stakes and held off the favorite, Dresden Row, by 1 1/4 lengths in a 24-1 shocker.
Wicked Django, a 4-year-old colt by Wicked Strong, ran 1 1/8 miles on the all-weather track in 1:48.45.
Bullard went from last to first heading into the stretch Sunday at Del Mar scoring an authoritative victory in the 44th edition of the Grade 3, $100,000 Bob Ho
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