Clash of the Titans

[my miss storm cat]

THE CITI STEWARDS' CUP
(HONG KONG GROUP 1 - HK$8,000,000)
1600 Metres- ShaTin-Sunday 20 January 2008

Pre-entries.....


ABLE ONE
ART TRADER
DOWN TOWN
FLORAL PEGASUS
GOOD BA BA
JOYFUL WINNER
POCKET MONEY
ROYAL PRINCE
SIR ERNESTO
THE WITCH'S BROOM
VENGEANCE OF RAIN
VIVA MACAU
VIVA PATACA

[my miss storm cat]

Rumor is VOR is out.....

I wouldn't post it, but it's from a very reliable person in HK.

[my miss storm cat]

Race 8 - THE CITI STEWARDS' CUP
Sunday, January 20, 2008, Sha Tin, 16:35
Turf ,"B+2" Course ,1600m

Prize Money: $8,000,000.00, Rating: -, Race Class: HONG KONG GROUP 1

1 VIVA PATACA 126 J Moore 129 D Beadman 8 G096 H 0 -
2 GOOD BA BA 126 A Schutz 127 O Doleuze 4 E201 TT 5 -
3 DOWN TOWN 126 C H Yip 123 D Whyte 7 G054 TT 2 -
4 FLORAL PEGASUS 126 A S Cruz 123 G Mosse 2 G011 TT 0 -
5 JOYFUL WINNER 126 J Moore 120 C Soumillon 9 E045 TT -1 -
6 ABLE ONE 126 J Moore 117 G Boss 1 G108 -2 -
7 SIR ERNESTO 126 D Cruz 116 A Delpech 5 G051 SR -2 -
8 VIVA MACAU 126 J Moore 116 Z Purton 3 H110 SW/TT 0 -
9 ART TRADER 126 J Moore 115 E Saint-Martin 10 E131 TT 0 -
10 ROYAL PRINCE 126 A S Cruz 113 B Prebble 6 H072 TT -1 -



B : Blinkers BO : Blinker with one cowl only E : Ear Plugs H : Hood
M : Muzzle P : Pacifier PC : Pacifier with cowls SR : Shadow Roll
SW : Side Winkers TT : Tongue Tie V : Visor SB: Sheepskin Browband
SO: Side Winker 1 side "1" : First time "2" : Replaced "-" : Removed
CC: Cornell Collar XB: Crossed Nose Band

Notes:
"Horse Wt. (Declaration)" : Horse weight on two days before the race day
"Wt.+/-(vs last race)" : Change of horse weight between race day and last race day
"Wt.+/-(vs Declarations)" : Change of horse weight between race day and declaration day
"Stakes Won" : Stakes acquired in current racing season

[gallant bloom]

royal prince
will beat
viva pataca.

[ArlJim78]

which ones are the titans?

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

which ones are the titans?

ALL of them!

* * *
SCMP.....

Friday, January 18, 2008

Centenary Vase is Vengeance's race, insists Ferraris
Champ to give Stewards' Cup a miss

MURRAY BELL


Horse of the Year Vengeance Of Rain has gone missing from Sunday's HK$8 million Citi Stewards' Cup line-up but trainer David Ferraris says all is well with the greatest prize money winner in the history of racing.
Ferraris and Vengeance Of Rain's managing owner, Raymond Chow Hon-man, have come up with an alternative battle plan, and the great stayer will now have his next run in the Group Three Centenary Vase over 2,000 metres at Sha Tin on February 2.

"I can assure all Vengeance Of Rain's fans that there is nothing wrong with the horse, in fact he's jumping out of his skin he's that well," Ferraris emphasised last night.

"He really pleased us with a strong piece of work earlier in the week, but we have decided to go for the Centenary Vase rather than the Stewards' Cup because we believe it's a race he could win.

"He might be able to run a place, with a bit of luck, at a mile in the Stewards' Cup. But even with a big weight in the Centenary Vase, it's a race he can win."

Ferraris said the late amendment to the champion's programme would mean he will now have a barrier trial over 1,050m on the all-weather track at Sha Tin on Tuesday.

Ferraris noted his plan for Vengeance Of Rain had a winning precedent, with John Moore having successfully run Super Kid under top weight of 133 pounds in the Centenary Vase two years ago before backing up to take the Hong Kong Gold Cup at his next start.

The HK$8 million Hong Kong Gold Cup on February 24 is the key race for Vengeance, an event he won last year by a neck, defeating Viva Pataca and Bullish Luck.

Provided he runs up to expectations again in that race, then it is hard to imagine the Dubai Racing Club not inviting him back for an attempt at defending his Dubai Sheema Classic crown at the end of March.

The Group One Stewards' Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday will be the first leg of the triple crown for four-year-olds. Apart from the defection of Vengeance Of Rain, the race also lost the progressive Pocket Money and the "dream world" entry of The Witch's Broom (still eligible for Class Three) to reduce the race to 10 starters.

Last night, Australian bookmaking company Centrebet issued a market on the race and installed Viva Pataca - to be ridden by Darren Beadman - as a $1.85 favourite to beat the top-class milers at their pet distance.

"It looks a clear cut three-horse race," according to Centrebet manager Neil Evans. "We have super consistent Good Ba Ba, who stormed to Group One victory on International Day, a pronounced second-elect at $3.20, with the highly capable Floral Pegasus on the third line at $5.50.

"Nothing else is any chance in the race," he declared.

Floral Pegasus will be reunited with his rider, Gerald Mosse, who stood down in favour of apprentice Marco Chui Kwan-lai last start when trainer Tony Cruz wanted to take advantage of Chui's five-pound allowance under handicap conditions in the Group Three Chinese Club Challenge Cup (1,400m) on January 1.