Falbrav takes practice run for Hong Kong Cup

Falbrav, favourite for Sunday’s Hong Kong Cup, enjoyed a canter at Sha Tin under the eye of trainer Luca Cumani this morning.

Cumani arrived in Hong Kong yesterday and made his first trip to the track today to see his horse have a spin on the all-weather track under rider Keith Ledington.

The five-year-old, who has won four Group One races this season, will be having his final race before retiring to stud and Cumani is pleased with the way preparations are going.

“So far everything has gone well with the horse, and I was pleased with what I saw today,” he said.

“He’ll do a faster piece of work on either Thursday or Friday – I haven’t quite decided which day just yet.”

Michael Jarvis’s contender for the 10 furlong race Rakti also had an easy breeze on the track today.

His regular work rider Bob McGonagle was on board the Emirates Airlines Champion Stakes winner, who is considered to be Falbrav’s main challenger.

Jarvis and jockey Philip Robinson are due to arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow.

US representative Denon worked at Sha Tin along with Japanese runner Eishin Preston, who did a handy canter for two laps of the track.

The Robert Collet-trained Tigertail pleased her lass Virginie Poirier as the four-year-old filly did some light work under her regular rider, Jean-Luc Morenviller.

“She has settled in well to Sha Tin and I think she is holding her form very well. Mr Collet will arrive here on Thursday,” Poirier said.

Defending Cup champion Precision went for a three-quarter speed spin under Mick Kinane and trainer David Oughton said: “He won this race last year on his fifth run of the year, this time this is just his third run after a few niggling problems. Still, I’m pretty happy with him.”

The Mick Channon-trained Imperial Dancer, who tackles the Hong Kong Vase, pleased his lad Andy Larkin in a steady canter.

“He looks fantastic and I couldn’t be more happy with him,” said Larkin. “He is a remarkable horse as he has retained his form having been all over Europe this season.”

Channon is due to arrive in Hong Kong on Thursday and is likely to give the horse, who won the Premio Roma last time, a good blow on the grass on Friday.

Clive Brittain, who saddles Warrsan in the Vase, was at Sha Tin this morning, but his charge was confined to the stable trotting ring.

“He arrived on Saturday and is fine. He’ll have a little canter tomorrow and a final piece of work later in the week, but he doesn’t need a lot,” said Brittain, who sent Warrsan’s half brother Luso to back-to-back triumphs in the Vase in 1996 and 1997.

Italian challenger Maktub survived a scare during his work when he crashed through the rails after spooking and veering right.

The four-year-old unseated his work rider and ran off the track straight through the inside rail.

Luckily both horse and rider escaped injury and after a close examination from Keith Watkins, the Jockey Club’s Head of Veterinary Services, Maktub was declared fit to return to his stable unscathed.

“Maktub has a small abrasion to his left hind pastern. He was checked back at the stable and he was walking and trotting up sound. We will keep a very close eye on him but he is incredibly lucky to have got away so lightly considering what he did,” Watkins said.

Australian runner Fields Of Omagh impressed with a solid workout on the grass and trainer Tony McEvoy confirmed that the horse will run with a visor rather than blinkers on Sunday.

Ex-Aidan O’Brien inmate Roosevelt, who is now with Oughton, also worked under Kinane.

British Sprint runners Deportivo and Acclamation also limbered up on the all-weather track.

Deportivo’s trainer Roger Charlton was on hand for the first time to see his sprinter, who had a marathon trip from England after a big delay in his transport.

“I hate to think how long the journey took,” said Charlton. “He had to circle for two hours before landing in Hong Kong but the horse seems all right.”

Leading Mile contender, the French-trained Special Kaldoun worked nicely under his big-race jockey Dominique Boeuf.

Boeuf said: “He likes the track and he felt good.”

American Mile runners Sarafan and Mister Acpen were all out on the all-weather track for a canter while Japanese Prix Du Moulin runner-up Lohengrin did light work with his exercise rider Takayuki Chubashi in the trotting ring.