The Shanghai Race Club

12月11日与皇家雅士谷赛马俱乐部创始人-尊敬的哈里•赫伯特先生相约在上海马会俱乐部会员酒会，现场共同见证香港杯的获胜者。

这一天就要到来了—周日十匹顶级马即将角逐2011年最后一个重要赛马奖杯香港杯。以下按照马号依次介绍各参赛马驹以及预测这个大奖会花落谁家。

1.天鹰翱翔（Cirrus Des Aigles）马主为Jean-Claude-Alain Dupouy，天鹰翱翔（Cirrus Des Aigles）在之前雅士谷举办的英国冠军锦标中击败信以为真（So You Think）获得冠军。那次状态在比赛中表现神勇，但是它去年在这个比赛和日本杯中分别只得到第七名和第九名，因此仍有些质疑其在经过长途飞行后能否具有回到最佳状态的能力。

2. 雄心威龙（Ambitious Dragon）为林培雄名下，雄心威龙（Ambitious Dragon）是2011年香港打吡以及EQII的冠军，正因为这些胜利让它获得2011年香港年度赛马称号。虽然在作为香港杯之前的热身赛他意外地在国泰航空马术俱乐部一英里比赛中失利，但是在那天什么都对它不利，它依然被认为是比赛中最佳的赛马。它绝对是香港本土队伍中实力强大的选手。

3. 谚语（Byword）为哈立德•阿卜杜拉王子所有，谚语（Byword）曾在皇家雅士谷获得1级赛事威尔士王子锦标的冠军，并在今年的多拉尔锦标中有点占了体重的优势击败天鹰翱翔（Cirrus Des Aigles）夺魁。最近一次在育马者杯一英里比赛中表现不佳，因此如果要获胜需要重新回到最佳状态。

4. 德班雷霆（Durban Thunder）马主为Stall Tinsdal,这匹德国赛马前仗七月胜出慕尼黑2000米大赛,但是那场比赛整体实力一般.上仗在多拉尔锦标中落后谚语(Byword)包尾而归.喜欢领放跑法,而且喜欢软地适合发挥,但是总体来说,它比主要对手实力要差一些.

5. 魔法幻影（Irian）为萧百君所有,这匹香港马去年在此赛中不敌飞雪仙踪(Snow Fairy)屈居亚军,但是今年状态不如去年,最好成绩是此赛的热身赛国泰航空马会杯上跑获季军.这次最多跑进前三.

6. 加州万里（California Memory）为梁钦圣所有,这匹灰色阉马在国泰航空马会杯上获得第四名.但是上仗比赛非常不幸,是那次比赛浮出的最强对手.在沙田锦标上重拾佳态获得1600米冠军.可认为是冠军竞夺者.

7. 前卫先锋（Zazou）是WH International旗下,前卫先锋(Zazou)也是来自于德国的赛马.前仗参加了虽然实力不强的意大利总理杯,但最终捧杯而归.它的最佳状态在软地上,如果想要对主要竞争者构成威胁势必需要很大的提升.

8. 勒索信（Ransom Note）马主为莫尔德,勒索信一般采取前领跑法.它的最好成绩是在新市场夺得2级赛乔尔锦标.整体实力还有待查看,但由于班德雷霆(Durban Thunder)在,它不太可能领跑.

9. 满彩（Pure Champion）马主为王明泽先生及夫人与王锦汶.满彩(Pure Champion)之前由岳伯仁训练并取名为小说家(Steinbeck),被认为是2009年最看好的2岁马.在欧洲并没有达到它的潜力,可能要从香港重新开始.职业最好的状态是在国泰航空马会杯上落后自由好(Thumbs Up)屈居亚军.如果再接再厉估计有希望夺冠.

10. 晒冷王（Jacobee）为奥域团体旗下.这匹四岁马的职业巅峰是十月份获得三级赛事1800米冠军.整体实力还有待发掘,上次在国泰航空马会一英里比赛中大败而归.

预测: 天鹰翱翔(Cirrus Des Aigles)毫无疑问是匹非常顶级的赛马,但是上个赛季两次参加亚洲的比赛都表现平平.这不禁让人怀疑其在长途跋涉后能否找回最佳状态的能力.有可能它会战胜本土选手雄心威龙(AMBITIOUS DRAGON,上图所示).今年的香港年度赛马今年一直在进步,即便在国泰航空马会杯上屈居亚军,它也没有任何失利,以最佳状态进入到这次比赛中.其他选手中,本地选手加州万里(California Memory)和满彩(Pure Champion)都是这次比赛的强劲对手.

Meet Hon. Harry Herbert, founder of Royal Ascot Racing Club at the Shanghai Race Club members party on Sunday 11th Dec in Shanghai  and view the winning of the Hong Kong Cup – live.

So, the day is almost upon us – and on Sunday a top class field of ten will compete for the last major Horse Racing trophy of 2011, The Hong Kong Cup. Here are the runners, with saddlecloth numbers – plus the verdict on where this illustrious prize is heading.

1. Cirrus Des Aigles, owned by Jean-Claude-Alain Dupouy, Cirrus Des Aigles won the British Champions Stakes at Ascot on his previous start, beating So You Think. That form looks exceptional in the context of this race, but the horse only managed 7th place in this race and 9th place in the Japan Cup last year, so there is a slight question mark over his ability to reproduce his best after a long-haul flight.

2. Ambitious Dragon, owned by Johnson Lam Pui Hung, Ambitious Dragon is the winner of the 2011 Hong Kong Derby and the QEII Cup, victories that made the 2011 Hong Kong Horse Of The Year a formality. Suffered a surprise defeat in the Cathay Pacific Jockey Club Mile, his prep race for this, but nothing went right for him that day and he looked the best horse in the race by some margin. Looks a very strong contender for the home team.

3. Byword – owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah, Byword is a former winner of the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and he defeated Cirrus Des Aigles in this season’s Prix Dollar, albeit in receipt of weight. Latest effort in the Breeders’ Cup Mile was a disappointment and he needs to bounce right back to his best if he is to win this.

4. Durban Thunder, owned by Stall Tinsdal, this German raider won a weak Group over 10f in Munich back in July, but struggled when last seen at Longchamp, where he finished last behind Byword in the Prix Dollar. Likes to lead and possibly needs soft ground to show his best, but overall he looks a class below the leading contenders here.

5. Irian, owned by Siu Pak Kwan, this Hong Kong trained horse finished second in this race last season behind Snow Fairy, but this season’s form has been less spectacular, with his best run coming last time when third in the trial for this race, the Cathay Pacific Jockey Club Cup. Looks to have a place chance at best.

6. California Memory, owned by Howard Liang Yum Shing, this grey gelding finished 4th in the Cathay Pacific Jockey Club Cup, but looked unfortunate in running and is probably the strongest contender to emerge from that race. Had previously recorded top class form when winning the Sha Tin Trophy here over a mile. Looks a contender.

7. Zazou, owned by WH International, Zazou is another German raider and he comes here on the back of a Group 1 win – albeit a weak Italian one. Most of his best form is on soft ground and he will need to show significant improvement if he is to trouble the leading contenders.

8. Ransom Note, owned by Raymond Mould, Ransom Note is a front running horse, whose finest hour came when winning the Group 2 Joel Stakes at Newmarket. Overall level of form leaves him with a bit to find and unlikely to get an uncontested lead with Durban Thunder also in the line up.

9. Pure Champion, owned by Mr+Mrs Eddie Wong Ming Chak & Kameny Wong Kam Man, Pure Champion was formerly known as Steinbeck when racing for Aidan O’Brien and was his best regarded 2yo back in 2009. Didn’t fulfil that potential in Europe but signs that he might start to in Hong Kong and his last effort when second to Thumbs Up in the Cathay Pacific Jockey Club Cup was arguably a career best. Further progress could see him make the frame here.

10. Jacobee, owned by the Olympic syndicate, this 4yo’s career highlight came when landing a Group 3 over 9 furlongs here in October. However, overall level of form leaves him with plenty to find and was well beaten in the Cathay Pacific Jockey Club Mile last time.

Verdict: Cirrus Des Aigles is undoubtedly a very classy horse, but after two moderate runs in Asia last season, there has to be a doubt about his ability to reproduce his best after a long journey. The likelihood is that he will struggle to beat the local hero AMBITIOUS DRAGON (above). The Hong Kong Horse Of The Year has just kept on improving this season and even though he only finished second in his trial race, he lost nothing in defeat and heads into this race in peak form. Of his opponents, local rivals California Memory and Pure Champion both look strong contenders for a place.

If Cirrus Des Aigles represents the hopes of the small owner and trainer on the International stage, then Byword would be at completely the other end of the scale.

Byword, of course, represents the legendary owner Prince Khalid Abdullah (left, welcoming with star horse, Frankel). Abdullah has been a powerhouse in world racing ever since a trip to Longchamp in the 1960′s sparked his interest in the throughbred. Since that day, he has raced many top class horses in his famous white, green and pink silks and has developed a formidable breeding empire spanning many countries under his Juddmonte Farms banner. The most famous of his horses is probably Dancing Brave, who will be forever remembered for his desperately unlucky second in the Epsom Derby and his thrilling victory in the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe. That said, the Prince recently claimed that his new superstar, the unbeaten Frankel, was the best horse ever to raced in his silks. It is of tremendous credit to the Prince that he has opted to keep Frankel in training for 2012. The horse is probably one of the most valuable stallion prospects of all time and the fact that he is to race on is fantastic news for racefans all over the world.

Byword wouldn’t be in the same class as Dancing Brave or Frankel, but make no mistake – he is a top class animal and he took the scalp of Cirrus Des Aigles at Longchamp in October when he prevailed by a short-neck in the Prix Dollar. Cirrus Des Aigles was carrying slightly more weight than Byword that day – and Corrine Barande-Barbe’s horse of course went on to win the British Champions Stakes at Ascot on his next start. Byword’s next effort wasn’t so successful – and the experiment of running him back over a mile in the Breeders’ Cup Mile backfired. The tight track and firm ground at Churchill were against him, as was the drop in trip and there is little doubt that the horse is much better than his 8th place suggests.

A victory for Byword here would demand that the horse returns to his very best and Andre Fabre will be hoping to get the horse back to the kind of form that saw him land the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes back in the summer of 2010.

As discussed last week, the main Hong Kong challenge in the Cup undoubtedly comes from Ambitious Dragon, but there are other home contenders of note. The main trial for this race is the Cathay Pacific Jockey Club Cup and although the winner, Thumbs Up, heads for the Hong Kong Vase, the horses that chased him home, namely Pure Champion, Irian and California Memory are set to run in the Cup.

Of the three, the horse with probably the best chance in the Cup, is ironically the horse that finished 4th in the trial, California Memory. This grey gelding, owned by Howard Liang Yum Shing, was carrying more weight than his rivals and suffered a troubled passage in the race. He looks better than his finishing position of fourth and his win in the Group 2 Sha Tin Trophy in late October suggests he could be up to making the frame here.

Pure Champion, who finished second in the Jockey Club Cup is also worth a mention. This son of Footstepsinthesand will need to record a career best to win this contest, but it is worth mentioning that in his previous life – when trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien and known as Steinbeck, he was an extremely well regarded horse. In fact, O’Brien spoke of how he was the horse that the “ birds in the trees are singing about ” as a juvenile and he was clearly thought capable of far more than he ever showed on the racecourse for them. Given the wealth of talent that Coolmore always have at their disposal, there is little doubt that this horse has the raw talent to land a race of this nature – it is now down to his new trainer, Tony Cruz to try to unlock that potential.

Later this week: The final field for the Cup and the verdict on where the biggest prize in Hong Kong racing is heading.

中文版 

The Shanghai Race Club “High Society of Horse Racing” event series starts in Shanghai on 11th December 2011 featuring Hon. Harry Herbert founder of Royal Ascot Racing Club and Jake Warren from the legendary Warren racing family

 The Shanghai Race Club, started in 1862, is the world’s oldest dual language (Mandarin Chinese and English) private social club for the high society of horse racing.

As part of the celebration of The Club’s 150th anniversary selected members from around the world famous for their contributions and achievements in horse racing have been invited to speak at The Club’s private social events in Shanghai. The “High Society of Horse Racing series” events will be hosted at the appointed clubhouse building Moller Villa, a private heritage estate in the center of Shanghai built by Eric Moller an early, prominent member of The Shanghai Race Club.

The first speaker in the series is the Honourable Harry Herbert head of Highclere racing and the gentleman behind Royal Ascot Racing Club (See full Biography below) accompanied by Jake Warren from the legendary Warren racing family.

“HIGH SOCIETY OF HORSE RACING” EVENT PROGRAM.

2.30pm The speaker Hon. Harry Herbert will host an exclusive private consultation  for The Shanghai Race Club racing and owner level members to introduce racehorse ownership.

During this time all other members will be served British style Afternoon Tea and invited  to play the Shanghai Race Club’s exciting new 150th anniversary board game and win gifts.

4pm  The speakers will join all the members while Byron Constable, Club Chairmand present an overview of the challengers in the race for The Hong Kong Cup one of the world’s most treasured racing trophies.

4.45pm the Hong Kong Cup race will be shown live.

All Shanghai Race Club members are invited to attend.

Dress code: Sports jacket for gentlemen. Ladies are required to wear formal day dress.

ABOUT HON. HARRY HERBERT

HON. HARRY HERBET AT ROYAL ASCOT

Harry Herbert began his career in the thoroughbred industry in the United States in 1982. There he worked for Bloodstock Research, the world’s leading equine computer company researching pedigrees before moving on to work for The Matchmaker Group, a bloodstock sales, finance and promotion company.

In 1984 Harry returned to the UK to represent Matchmaker in Europe and in 1985 set up his own thoroughbred management company, HMH Management Ltd., to provide world-wide advisory and promotional services to those in the bloodstock industry.

In 1992, Harry started Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Limited which swiftly became European leader in the field of syndication.  Highclere have raced seven European Champions including last year’s World Champion, Harbinger. As managers of The Royal Ascot Racing Club’s horses, Highclere were also responsible for the 2005 Vodafone Derby winner, Motivator. Harry’s brother-in-law John Warren buys Highclere’s yearlings and the two work closely together in all aspects of the industry.  John is also Racing Manager to Her Majesty The Queen.

Harry has been Racing Consultant to Cartier for over 20 years.  The Cartier Awards are European Racing’s equivalent of the Oscars and take  place each November at the Dorchester Hotel in London.  Harry is a Member of the Jockey Club, a Director of Newbury Racecourse plc and has recently been appointed as Non-Executive Chairman of British Bloodstock Marketing. He is also on the Board of the British Horseracing Education and Standards Trust.

ABOUT JAKE WARREN 

JAKE WARREN WITH PRINCE HARRY AT ROYAL ASCOT

Jake was educated at Eton College where he was President of the Racing Society and Captain of Sport. He then went on to study Business and History of Art at Edinburgh University.

In 2005 he formed a syndicate comprising of 60 university associates which successfully specialised in the buying and selling of bloodstock.

He then went on to create The Birdcage Racing Club for Ascot Racecourse which has already grown to over 500 members in two years. His initiative behind this increasingly popular club is to drive and encourage young potential ownership into the sport.

After university he worked for Sports PR and Marketing agency Pitch.  His clients included Heineken, QIPCO and most notably LOCOG (the organising body behind the London 2012 Olympics). He developed strong relationships with sports editors of the UK’s national newspapers during this time.

He has now returned to the ever growing business of the Highclere brand.

ABOUT THE SHANGHAI RACE CLUB

The Shanghai Race Club established in Mainland China during 1862 is the legendary dual language (Mandarin and English) private social club for the international high society of  horse racing.

For those new to horse racing the Club prepares you for gentlemanly battle on the racecourse against Kings, Queens, Princes & Knights in your quest for the worlds most treasured horse racing trophies.

For those established in horse racing the Club presents you with the opportunity to meet and make friends with the new generation of challengers entering the worldwide racing scene.

SHANGHAI RACE CLUB MEMBERS BENEFITS

As a Shanghai Race Club  member you are invited to attend members only private parties 8 times a year at the appointed Clubhouse building in Shanghai to meet other members and view one of the world’s most sought after racing trophies being won live.

You are also  permitted to enter the Online Clubhouse to make friends with other members and the highly distinguished racing scholar James Knight in England – who keeps all the members fully informed on the strategies and tactics being used by legendary horse owners and their teams during the build up to races for the world’s most treasured trophies.

For more information please contact Club events manager Juliet Zhu (Juliet@theshanghairaceclub.com) on  00 86 21 6141 8602

The Shanghai Race Club est. 1862

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The Hong Kong Cup is now firmly established as an international racing event of great significance and the race has produced some top class winners in recent years; Ramonti, Falbrav and Snow Fairy to name but three of them.

The 2011 renewal looks set to be continue that tradition of excellence and the race sees some of the top international horses locking horns.

Leading the European challenge for the trophy is the winner of the 2011 British Champions Stakes, Cirrus Des Aigles. This 5 year old gelding in many ways epitomises everything that is great about horseracing. Unfashionably bred, this son of Even Top is owned by little known owner Jean-Claude-Alain Dupouy and trained by French trainer, Corine Barande-Barbe, who runs a small operation in Chantilly. The horse has done nothing but improve over the course of his career and his victory in the British Champions Stakes, where he defeated the Coolmore powerhouse, So You Think, was one of the finest middle distance performances seen anywhere in the world this year.

Cirrus Des Aigles is no stranger to Hong Kong or the Cup having finished 5th in last year’s renewal. However, the horse’s form has moved to a new level this year and Barande-Barbe has no doubt he is up to the task this time around.

After the Champions Stakes, she commented “We are invited to go to Japan, but I think we will go only to Hong Kong. Last season he did both, but he has had a busier year. Hopefully he can go to Hong Kong, get a better draw than last year, and get revenge.”

Missing the Japan Cup this time around could be crucial as it will have allowed Cirrus Des Aigles that extra few weeks to recover from Ascot and to acclimatise in Hong Kong. Given the superb form this horse has been in in Europe, he will head into the race with a great chance of victory.

While Cirrus Des Aigles has pressing claims, it is unlikely that the Hong Kong public will see him as the most likely winner – as they have a very strong  home contender in Ambitious Dragon (left).

Ambitious Dragon is currently the Hong Kong ‘Horse of the Year’ – an award that was a mere formality given that he had won 7 races in the 2010-11 season, including the prestigious Hong Kong Derby.

The horse is owned by Johnson Lam, a Hong Kong businessman who has been racing horses since the 1960s. Ambitious Dragon was spotted in 2008 by a New Zealand bloodstock agent, Bruce Perry, who bought the horse and sold it on to Lam and Ambitious Dragon fulfilled a lifelong dream for the owner when winning the Hong Kong Derby.

The only real surprise is that this hugely talented horse comes into the Hong King Cup on the back of a defeat – as Ambitious Dragon missed out by an agonizing short head to Destined For Glory in the Cathay Pacific Jockey Club Mile in late November. However, the loss was controversial to say the least and jockey Maxine Guyon came in for significant criticism for his ride on the horse. Ambitious Dragon is usually held up in his races, but on this occasion he was trapped wide on the track in a prominent position and could not settle in behind horses. That meant that he used up too much energy in the early stages and failed to give his true running. In truth, the horse lost very little in defeat as he still ran a mighty race despite so much going wrong for him early on. In similar form, he must give Hong Kong a tremendous chance of keeping the Cup at home.

Next week: Khalid Abdullah’s Byword and the other main contenders for Hong Kong Cup glory.