"ALWAYS HOPEFUL, BUT NEVER CONFIDENT" - AIDAN O'BRIEN BRINGS HIS BEST TEAM YET TO HONG KONG

By Tim Clayton | Friday, December 8, 2023

Champion trainer Aiden O’Brien faces his biggest challenge but brings his strongest team for this Sundays 2023 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) at Sha Tin with an arsenal to cover the big four races.

Warm Heart will line up in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (G1) ... Aesop’s Fable in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (G1) ... Cairo in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (G1) and Luxembourg in the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (G1).

“I think there is no doubt that it is,” O’Brien replied when asked if this was the best team he’d brought to Hong Kong.

“It’s very difficult to win races here. You don’t come with second-raters.”

O’Brien was asked at Thursday's press conference if he was confident for victory on Sunday his response was: “I’m never confident, hopeful, I’m always hopeful but I’m never confident.”

O’Brien’s biggest hopes of Hong Kong glory are with Warm Heart in the Hong Kong Vase and Luxembourg in the Hong Kong Cup.

Warm Heart is a born star just missing out on a third straight win in the Breeders Cup Fillies & Mares Turf (2000m) after winning the Group 1 Prix Vermeille (2400m) and the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks (2371m) in her two previous starts.

Luxembourg will contest the Hong Kong Cup where he will clash with last year’s winner Romantic Warrior.

“He’s obviously a very good horse, Romantic Warrior. I think it will be nice to watch, an even run mile and a quarter I’d imagine. Hopefully Luxembourg will run well”.

If Luxembourg can win on Sunday, he will add to his impressive Group 1 CV along with previous win in the Irish Champion Stakes (G1) which was also over 2000 metres.

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