Fabre bringing two live contenders for Hong Kong International Races

With a total of 18 runners spread across the past 24 editions of the Hong Kong International Races, master trainer Andre Fabre has been one of Europe's most consistent supporters of the meeting.
 
His two winners have both come over 2400 meters in the Hong Kong Vase (G1) and he sends a strong contender this year in Grosser Preis von Bayern (G1) winner Junko, who carries the colors of Alain and Gerard Wertheimer. They are most famously associated with the mighty Goldikova, and one of the most successful owner-breeder operations in France, stretching back three generations to the 1950s.
 
Fabre also saddles Hong Kong Mile (G1) contender in Godolphin's Tribalist, who tuned up for his meeting with Golden Sixty and California Spangle with a cozy success at Saint-Cloud in mid-November.
 
"They had very good prep races and in many ways a good racing calendar," Fabre said. "They are both racing fit and I'm very happy with them. 
 
"The races in Hong Kong are getting more and more difficult to win."
 
Indeed, European success has been rare enough at Sha Tin in early December since Fabre sent out Flintshire to win the 2014 Hong Kong Vase, with only Aidan O'Brien's three wins in the same race – courtesy of Highland Reel (2015 and 2017) and Mogul (2020) – to show from the past 32 individual Group 1s on the card. 
 
Fabre has still been particularly dangerous in the Hong Kong Vase since 2014, with Flintshire, Talismanic and Botanik all finishing second, while future Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) hero Waldgeist was a somewhat unlucky fifth in 2018. 
 
History alone dictates that Junko will carry plenty of respect, having first tasted international travel when sixth in the Dubai Turf (G1) in March, before stepping up to 2400 meters for the first time in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1)
 
"The good thing is that he is now proven over a mile and a half," said Fabre, who also took the Vase in 1999 with his first Hong Kong runner, Borgia. "Before he was running over a shorter distance but he's proved that he stays well. That will help him, as will a good pace."
 

The Hong Kong Mile has been a private battle between the home team and Japanese-trained horses since Godolphin's Firebreak stormed home under Frankie Dettori in 2004, while Tribalist will be only a third runner for Fabre in the event.
 
Tribalist has proved hard to stop under front-running tactics at left-handed Saint-Cloud, but has winning form on good-to-soft ground and going at right-handed Chantilly.
 
"My only concern is it's 100 yards too far," Fabre said. "He's more of a seven-furlong horse than a miler when there is a strong pace. But he is a horse with a big heart and if you look closely at his form, he is close to the best milers in Europe. He's tied in with Facteur Cheval and he's able to win a Group 1 for sure."