Champions Day in Hong Kong: Tabbing El Vencedor in QEII Cup

This weekend includes one of the biggest cards of the season in Hong Kong. Sha Tin plays host to a 10-race Champions Day program that boasts three Group 1 events. Some of the horses in action aren’t just the fastest ones on the circuit, but Thoroughbreds that would be competitive in plenty of Group 1 races worldwide.

You may need to stay up late to catch the action. Post time for the opener is 12:45 p.m. Hong Kong time, which works out to 12:45 a.m. ET and 9:45 p.m. PT. However, if you’re up, you can catch all the action on TwinSpires.com, which broadcasts the new North American simulcast feed that debuted earlier in the season.

I’ll have selections for all 10 races during the card. In this article, I’ll take a deeper dive into the Group 1 races. Well, it’s more like two out of three, for reasons that will become apparent.

Race 5: The Chairman’s Sprint Prize (G1)

This race features one of the heaviest favorites on the program, and for good reason. #1 Ka Ying Rising (2-5) has been thumping everything in his path all season long, winning seven times in as many starts. Three of them have been Group 1 wins, and he holds the 1,200-meter track record at Sha Tin with a time of 1:07.20, which he clocked in winning the Centenary Sprint Cup (G1) in January.

You’ll certainly get a price on any of his opponents. However, those runners would likely need to run career-best races and hope that Ka Ying Rising regresses significantly. I don’t think that scenario is likely, so I can’t get too cute. If you’re playing the early Pick 3, which starts in the third race, single the chalk to finish.

Race 7: The Champions Mile (G1)

This race also features a pretty heavy favorite, but while I think he’s a likely winner, I also wouldn’t be shocked if he gets beaten. #2 Voyage Bubble (6-5) has won four in a row and is looking for a fourth consecutive Group 1 score. Last time out, he stretched out to 2,000 meters and won the Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1) by nearly four lengths. I don’t think he beat the best group that day, but he looked fantastic doing it, and he cuts back to a route where he won his prior two Group 1 races.

The other horse I’m intrigued by ships in from the Middle East. That’s #11 Goemon (53-1), who was most recently ninth in the Dubai Turf (G1) at Meydan. He ran against a world-class group that day, and he went 1,800 meters, which hits me as a bit further than he wants to go. This cutback to 1,600 meters should be a welcome one, as he’s won his last four races at the distance. One of those victories was a score in the Bahrain Mile (a local Group 1) in February. If Goemon gets ignored in the wagering, I think he could provide some value.

Race 8: The QEII Cup (G1)

Much of the attention will be focused on world traveler #1 Goliath (9-2), who’s certainly a logical contender. He’s coming in off of a sixth-place finish in the Japan Cup (G1), which attracted a fantastic group, and a similar type of effort would make him tough. However, I don’t think he’s a lock.

In fact, my top selection is #5 El Vencedor (10-1), who ships in from New Zealand. He’s established himself as a top horse on that circuit with three consecutive Group 1 wins this season. Two have come at this 2,000-meter distance, and top Hong Kong jockey Zac Purton has been enticed to ride.

This is certainly a class test for El Vencedor, and if you’re playing the Late Pick 3 starting here, I don’t think he’s a single (the ticket I’ll give out includes Goliath, too). However, I think there’s a chance he provides some value in the win pool, and if he does, I’ll be playing accordingly.