FAIR TRADE TO MISS HONG KONG GOLD CUP

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, February 23, 2010

A report from the Hong Kong Jockey Club reads:

‘It was previously advertised that permission had been granted for Jockey Shane Dye to ride Fair Trade in the Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup (HK Group 1) scheduled to be conducted at Sha Tin Racecourse on Sunday, 28 February 2010.

‘Permission was granted on the basis that Fair Trade would be entered for both the Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup (HK Group 1) and the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby (HK Group 1).

‘The Stewards have been advised by Trainer Caspar Fownes that Fair Trade has not been entered for the Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup (HK Group 1). As such, Jockey Dye has been advised that as Fair Trade will not take its place in the scheduled race he is no longer eligible to accept race riding engagements at the Sha Tin race meeting to be conducted on Sunday, 28 February 2010.’

Fair Trade is unbeaten in four starts. The lightly raced four-year-old won the Chinese New Year Cup at Sha Tin on February 16 with Brett Prebble aboard. That was the Danewin gelding’s first start since winning in his first run in Hong Kong back in June last year.

Prior to that, Fair Trade had won two from two in Australia including a comfortable Group 3 win when he came home by 3.50 lengths to win the CS Hayes at Flemington in only his second career start in January 2009. Fair Trade was in the care of trainer Michael Kent for his two starts in Australia.

The gelding suffered a setback when he sustained an injury to his off-side fore sesamoid after his first win in Hong Kong. He was then out of action from June 2009 until resuming earlier this month where his victory in the Chinese New Year Cup last Tuesday not only announced his arrival back on the scene but also gave jockey Brett Prebble cause for a double celebration as he notched up a landmark win.

It was win number 400 for Prebble in Hong Kong!

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