HK SPRINT - APACHE CAT PRIMED FOR THE BIG ONE

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Apache Cat stretched his legs at Sha Tin in a track gallop on Tuesday morning and he looked spot on for his assignment in the Hong Kong International Sprint on Sunday.

The seven-year-old will be bidding for no less than his twentieth race victory and his ninth Group 1 success. He has either won or been placed in thirty of his forty-two starts for earnings a touch in excess of $4.2 million, so both his record and his reputation are as formidable as they come.

There is however one result pending which would take his excellence to a higher level. That is an international success. That is what he is chasing on Sunday.

Apache Cat finished third in the Hong Kong International Sprint last year, when coming back again in the finish to get within 0.40 lengths of the winner, Inspiration. That was his first sortie into the international arena and it came on the back of a fairly extensive travel schedule as well a tough race programme.

As he did last year, Apache Cat contested the Group 1 VCR Classic at Flemington in early November, but this time that was to be Apache Cat’s final run before heading for Hong Kong - which is a very important consideration when comparing the task handed to Apache Cat this time around as opposed to his workload a year ago.

In 2008 Apache Cat went on to Perth after the Classic to run in the Group 2 Winterbottom Stakes. That run came as late as November 29, just fifteen days out from his Hong Kong assignment.

That, in itself, was not necessarily a bad thing (some will worry about the five week gap he has enjoyed this time around as being too long a break), but the fact that the Winterbottom turned into a two horse war between Apache Cat and the mighty Takeover Target was enough to take something out of even the most battle-hardened competitor.

Then factor the toll that travel can extract from the traveller. Apache Cat’s return trip to Perth from Melbourne and then the flight from Melbourne to Hong Kong provided a fairly hectic schedule all of which was compressed into a busy five week period.

All things considered, Apache Cat clearly did a fantastic job to get so close to a result in Hong Kong last year.

By taking the Perth option out of the equation this year trainer Greg Eurell has allowed Apache Cat to enjoy a gentler approach to his arrival in Hong Kong this year, but there is another important difference to consider.

In 2008 the VRC Classic run in early November was Apache Cat’s first outing following a five month spell. That made the Winterbottom his second-up run and the Hong Kong International Sprint his third run since resuming, coming in a hectic five week schedule.

In 2009 the VRC Classic was Apache Cat’s fourth run in his latest preparation which started which his run in the Manikato Stakes back on September 25.

This has been a more measured preparation. There was two weeks between the Manikato and the Schillaci. Two weeks between the Scillachi and the Schweppes and two weeks between the Schweppes and the VCR Classic ... and now the five week break until the big one!

Apache Cat’s two attempts at international glory in Hong Kong thus makes interesting reading in terms of assessing two separate strategies ... one short, intense campaign ... one with a more measured and longer buildup.

The one constant in all of this is the horse himself. He is an absolute rock, a proven star performer who is sure to do his connections and his country proud, whatever the result!

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