Hongkong Great is getting even better
The Ricardo Le Grange-trained Chilean-bred gelding is all class at the trials on Tuesday
In sport, one thing is treasured. Class.
Roger Federer oozed class. Tiger Woods exhibited it. Usain Bolt ran away with it.
And, of course, in this, our sport, Rocket Man owned it.
He was “class personified”.
Well, that is reminiscing.
In the real world and, at the trials on Tuesday morning, class was on show and – depending how you looked at it – it was either frightening or simply mind-blowing.
Frightening to his potential rivals. Mind-blowing to his connections who have big plans afoot.
Yes, Hongkong Great owned the trials. All of them.
With his lofty rating of 103, he was like a destroyer mowing down a flotilla of weekend sailboats.
Drawn on the “disadvantageous” outside gate, Hongkong Great cleared the chute like the seasoned pro that he is.
Quickly into his stride, he was soon like a general leading from the front.
The rest, led by Big Tiger, soon fell in line – as if running to the beat of some invisible drums.
Up in the saddle, Louis-Philippe Beuzelin had only one job. It was to keep his mount humming along.
The pre-trial instruction from trainer Ricardo Le Grange must have been a one-liner: “Let him go on his own steam.”
So, with the persuader tucked away like a sword in a sheath, Hongkong Great went on his merry way – seemingly without a care in the world.
Into the final stretch and Beuzelin allowed Hongkong Great to amble along on a loose rein.
It suited the seven-year-old just fine. Enjoying the morning cool and the feel of the slightly damp Polytrack, Hongkong Great went to the line unchallenged.
Big Tiger, the mount of Manoel Nunes, settled into second spot, just under four lengths in arrears.
Almost a similar distance behind, in third spot, came Prestige Star with Shafrizal Saleh on board.
But, for those who still watch the races and the trials the time-honoured way, those binoculars remained focused on Hongkong Great, who was allowed to amble along before being reined in.
He stopped the clock at 59.89sec which was mighty impressive.
Owned by Edmond Yue Kwok Yin, the Chilean-bred was a well-schooled “veteran” when flown in in mid-2022 to feast on the rich pickings available.
He settled into his new surroundings without any problems and posted his first win at his third start.
Hongkong Great and his connections are dreaming big. Realistically, he will jump out among the favourites in the remaining big races of the season. And, now that he has sampled victory at Kranji, he could be looking for another dose.
Earlier, in the first of three hit-outs, Prioritize was doing best over the concluding stages to take the trial in 61.06sec.
Ridden by A’Isisuhairi Kasim, he tracked the pacesetter Sabah Ace down the back straight.
Gaining ground, he was on the withers of the leader when the pair made the 600m marker.
It was only a matter of time before he ranged alongside.
That, he did at the 250m mark. And, without much ado, he cleared away to win by 11/2 lengths.
A three-time starter from Stephen Gray’s yard, he was third on debut on June 26. The winner of that race was Charminton – and we know how good he is. In July, he ran fourth to another Kranji talent named Fadaboy.
Prioritize will win a race sooner rather than later. Keep him on your radar.
Tuesday’s Kranji barrier trial results:
TRIAL 1
1 Prioritize (K. A’isisuhairi)
2 Sabah Ace
3 The Bullet (M. Nunes)
4 Real Success (M. Lerner)
Margins and time: 1 1/2, 3/4, 2 3/4
(1min 01.06sec)
TRIAL 2
1 Quarter Back (M. Ibrahim)
2 Hamama (W.H. Kok)
3 Sacred Rebel (M. Akmazani)
4 Win Win
5 Chivalric Knight (Nunes)
6 Free Fallin’ (M. Kellady)
Margins and time: 1, 1 1/4, 3/4, 1 1/4, 3
(1:04.54)
TRIAL 3
1 Hongkong Great (L. Beuzelin)
2 Big Tiger (Nunes)
3 Prestige Star (S. Shafrizal)
4 Sacred Judgement (Akmazani)
5 Headhunter (I. Saifudin)
Margins and time: 3 3/4, 4 1/4, 1 1/2, shd
(59.89sec)
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