DUBAI MAR 30 - HONG KONG STARS SHINE AT MEYDAN

By Hong Kong Jockey Club | Saturday, March 30, 2013

It was almost a fairytale outcome, but not quite.

That said, Joy And Fun and Eagle Regiment gave Hong Kong a good deal to shout about in the desert on Saturday night as the pair crossed the finish line in second and third places behind South African star Shea Shea, who, for the second race in succession, lowered the 1000m turf track record at Meydan, Dubai.

Eagle Regiment headed into the G1 Al Quoz Sprint under a cloud after twice pulling a shoe off his left fore-hoof in the lead-up to the Dubai World Cup meeting. Joy And Fun meanwhile was looking to recover some spark after a couple of modest recent efforts.

When the gates crashed open shortly after 7.05pm Dubai time, it was Joy And Fun under Tye Angland who caught the eye, breaking fast on the front end centre track, with Eagle Regiment also smartly away from his disadvantageous one gate.

As if conscious that time is ticking on his storied career, Joy And Fun showed blistering dash to vie for the lead. With 300m to go, Derek Cruz’s nine-year-old was in the clear and appeared destined for a second victory in the race, one that would have enhanced his 2010 triumph when the contest was staged as a G3 over 1200m.

“So close! I really felt like I would win it,” was how Angland summed it up.

Eagle Regiment, meanwhile, was making his own courageous bid for glory on the far side of the Meydan straight.

Jockey Olivier Doleuze had driven the five-year-old into contention and for a brief moment the race seemed at the mercy of the Hong Kong duo. The illusion was fleeting however, as Christophe Soumillon pounced to spoil the party atop the Mike de Kock-trained Shea Shea, who stopped the clock in a searing 56.41s to win by three quarters of a length from the gallant Joy And Fun with the same back to Eagle Regiment.

“I felt like I was one of the quickest ones out,” continued Angland. “I was in the group in the middle of the track and he felt the winner the whole way. When I quickened him he let down but Shea Shea was just sitting behind us waiting and just blew us away. I could see him coming but the winner was just too good. It’s a great honour to run a place here – he’s an old fighter!”

Joy And Fun, who now has a complete set of “medals” having finished third in last year’s race, could race on despite the inference in the lead-up to the race that this could be his last start.

“He jumped great and we had them all covered except one,” said Cruz. “It was a great run and the time was good. We’ll keep him around a bit longer and see how he is before making any decision on retirement.”

Eagle Regiment will likely return in 2014 with a point to prove after missing work in the build-up to this contest.

“We’ll come back next year,” said trainer Manfred Man. “I’m happy the horse has run well after so many accidents. He lost his shoe twice and he got a little bit of an infection, so missing two days work was no help. That has cost him today, that and the one draw was a terrible draw, he’s lost a length with that. We’ll come again next year.”

Jockey Doleuze is also looking forward to returning in 12 months: “He ran a good race, it’s a shame we couldn’t train him for those couple of days – that made the difference but what can you do?

“I wish I’d drawn in the middle of the track because I was alone and he always hangs inside. He was isolated, he had nobody around him and I think he needed some company from other horses a bit. But he’s a great horse and we will come back. What he did today was very good!”

William A Nader, The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Executive Director of Racing, said: “Joy And Fun is an incredible horse. He now has a silver medal to go with his Al Quoz gold and bronze. He seems to thrive in this environment and it is amazing how he finds the speed to lead against top opposition.

“Eagle Regiment was courageous in defeat. To run third despite having to run on the wrong side of the track and having missed two days of training is a testament to his quality.”

In the very next race, the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, Hong Kong’s hopes were firmly pinned on Frederick Engels. John Moore’s charge had not only drawn what seemed to be the perfect berth in gate one, he had also enjoyed a smooth preparation and had relished the Tapeta track during morning exercises.

But all of that unraveled in the first strides of the 1200m when the four-year-old missed the kick and endured a torrid run thereafter to finish eighth behind the impressive winner, Reynaldothewizard, from Satish Seemar’s Dubai stable.

“That was a disaster,” said a disappointed Moore. “The starter let them go when he was up in the air and then the horse in front of him, Gordon Lord Byron, kept baulking him in the run. It was game over when he missed the start.”

Jockey Marwing was equally disappointed by events saying: “I asked the starter to wait, but he has pulled the gates and you could clearly see that the horse is up in the air. Our starter back home waits – if you ask them to play the tape you can hear me screaming ‘wait, wait, wait’ – the horse was up in the air and has cost himself any chance in the race.”

Animal Kingdom stormed to victory in the night’s feature, the G1 Dubai World Cup (2000m, Tapeta) as G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase winner Red Cadeaux, owned by former HKJC Chairman Ronald Arculli, ran a thrilling second.

“If you’re not in the race you have no chance,” said Mr Arculli. “We debated between the Sheema Classic and the World Cup but how often do you have the chance to run a horse in this race? I keep saying to Ed (Dunlop – trainer), don’t underestimate this horse.”

“We have a few options to consider. He could run in Hong Kong (in the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup), Singapore (SIA Cup) or in Japan for the Tenno Sho (Spring) in Kyoto.”

More articles