HK - THE HONG KONG VASE - SHOWDOWN AT SHA TIN

By Hong Kong Jockey Club | Saturday, December 3, 2011

Ali and Frazier, Borg and McEnroe, Sea Biscuit and War Admiral: rivalries add an extra buzz of anticipation to any sporting drama and the G1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase provides the stage for what could be horseracing’s latest face-off.

For “Thriller in Manilla” read “Showdown at Sha Tin” as Dunaden and Red Cadeaux, fresh from a spine-tingling duel in last month’s Melbourne Cup, prepare for an eagerly anticipated rematch.

Red Cadeaux is the horse with a point to prove in the 2400m contest a week on Sunday after failing by barely a flared nostril to claim a first G1 Melbourne Cup triumph for Britain.

His conqueror in Australia’s showcase race was the French raider, Dunaden, who rallied like Napoleon advancing from Elba and will be looking to avoid his own Waterloo over a distance 800m shorter than at Flemington last time.

On that first Tuesday in November, Red Cadeaux stalked within a length or two of Dunaden as the pair raced towards the rear of the field before each made their moves for intended victory off the home turn, charting converging paths that brought them side by side with over 250m remaining.

Red Cadeaux briefly edged his rival in the run to the line but the two were almost inseparable as they flashed past the post.

A forensic inspection of the photo finish showed the Christophe Lemaire-ridden Dunaden to have won by a mere nose, the shortest margin in the race’s 151-year history.

The two Vase contenders, who arrived in Hong Kong on the same flight last Monday night, have much in common. Trainers Mikel Delzangles and Ed Dunlop gave their respective five-year-olds time to mature in handicap grade before unleashing them in Group races this year and they have both benefited for that approach.

Dunlop’s Red Cadeaux finished a close third behind Duncan in the G1 Irish St Leger over 2800m at the Curragh prior to his narrow defeat in Australia, while Dunaden took a G3 at Longchamp in April and preceded his Melbourne Cup triumph with success in the G3 Geelong Cup over the Vase distance on 19 October.

There is rarely such a thing as a two horse race at the highest level in this sport and a further 12 top-class contenders for the HK$14 million race ensure that the pair will not have the stage to themselves, but their rematch adds an intriguing subplot that could yet produce a dramatic climax.

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