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AUSRACING |
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INTERNATIONAL
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16th December, 2001 JAPANESE DOMINATE HONG KONG INTERNATIONALS The star of the Japanese thoroughbred shone brightest on Sunday at Sha Tin in Hong Kong as Japanese trained horses won the three Group 1 International races. The other International race, a Group 2 event, was taken out by the Australian runner Favelon for the second year in succession. The first of the International races was the Group 2 Hong Kong Sprint (1000m), the richest five furlong race in the world. The race turned out to be a mirror last year's Sprint with the Australian bred and trained Falvelon again narrowly beating the American raider Morluc. All Thrills Too, trained by David Hayes finished in third position. Trained by Doug Bougoure, Falvelon was again ridden by Champion Australian jockey Damian Oliver. The Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m) was the first race to fall to the Japanese raiders with Stay Gold, ridden by Japan's French-based star Yutaka Take proving too strong on the line for the Godolphin runner Ekraar. Ekraar had looked the winner when he dashed clear in the straight, but he was run down in the shadows of the post. The pair finished well clear of the locally trained Indigenous. It was the not the first taste of International success for Stay Gold who beat Fantastic Light in Dubai back in March. He also finished fourth in the recent Japan Cup (with Indigenous seventh), franking the form from that race. The Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) again fell to the Japanese with Eishin Preston causing an upset when running away to an emphatic win over the local favourite Electric Unicorn and Godolphin's China Visit. The Australian challengers Shogun Lodge and Show A Heart finished fifth and eighth respectively. The favourite was another Japanese runner, Zenno El Cid, but he finished last. The final race for the evening was the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m) which was also the final event of the Emirates World Series. The finish turned into a three way battle with the Japanese trained Agnes Digital holding off Godolphin's Tobougg with the French filly Terre A Terre a close-up third. Agnes Digital came into this race with consecutive victories over Japan's perennial champion T M Opera O. Results: G1 HK Cup: 1. Agnes Digital (Crafty Prospector)
2. Tobougg 3. Terre A Terre |