3 minute read

The Australasian challenge fell short at Sha Tin on Sunday at the FWD Champion’s Day meeting but the fact that runners from Australia and New Zealand were at the meeting again was considered a considerable success by racing officials.

Changed Australian quarantine regulations had meant that it was difficult for Australian trained runners to travel to the meeting and then return to Australia within a reasonable time frame for future racing.

However, with the co-operation of quarantine officials from both Australia and Hong Kong protocols were worked out that effectively created a separate quarantine protocol procedure over the other runners at the meeting from Japan, and in Viddora’s case from Dubai, also in their own quarantine.

Those runners who came from Australia, Santa Ana Lane (AUS), Enzo’s Lad (NZ) and Eminent (IRE), each day worked on either the All Weather Track or Turf Track earlier at around 4.00am than the other quarantined runners who came out of the quarantine stables at around 9.00am.

The end result means that the Longines Hong Kong International meeting in December and the 2020 FWD Champion’s Day are back on the agenda for Australian based runners.

“It is particularly pleasing to have Australian runners again, we always want to have the Australian flag flying here on our international days. We are confident now that you will see Australian runners in December and again here next year so we have overcome that hurdle,” said Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing.

The Anthony Freedman trained Santa Ana Lane was the best result for the Australasian runners, fourth in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m). A slow early sectional in the race put the traditional back marker at a disadvantage when the pace went on later in the race.

Santa Ana Lane, under Hugh Bowman, ran the quickest last 800 metres and last 400 metres of the race, but as he accelerated so did the front runners with Beat The Clock (AUS), Rattan (NZ) and Little Giant (NZ) too far ahead to catch. There was a 2 1/4L margin from Santa Ana Lane to Beat The Clock.

“He was probably off his game a little bit today so we'll get home and regroup,” said Freedman.

“They didn't go a really good gallop, which didn't suit us, he was a little disappointing.”

 Viddora was eighth and Enzo’s Lad ninth. Eminent was a disappointing last in the Group 1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m).

Santa Ana Lane’s result, however, was not expected to impact his rating as the world’s highest rated sprinter.

“Things did not really go his way with the first sectional being slow and I think we already knew from a race earlier in  the season that does suit Beat The Clock and again today,” said Nigel Gray, Head of Handicapping, Race Planning and International Racing.

“Beat The Clock was 120 going in and I would think he has run to about that level again, Rattan I think deserves a little bit of a promotion for his run and possibility Little Giant who should not be forgotten, who went a great race back in December. He has come into the top class and he had really performed I thought today.

“Santa Ana Lane will probably remain as the highest sprinter we are all very aware that he was not able to in the circumstances of the race,” he said.