Board flying ahead of final test

Ouija Board enjoyed a spin on the all-weather track at Sha Tin racecourse this morning ahead of her final start in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase.

Ed Dunlop’s star five-year-old will be bidding to bow out on a high as Sunday’s Group One event is scheduled to be her last race before retiring to the paddocks.

Ouija Board is in pursuit of her eighth success at the highest level and will be aiming to repeat her victory of last year in the 12-furlong event.

The daughter of Cape Cross won the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf on her penultimate start and she arrives in Hong Kong on the back of a fine third behind Deep Impact in the Japan Cup.

Robin Trevor-Jones, who has accompanied Ouija Board on many of her foreign forays, reports the mare to be in top form ahead of her swansong.

“She’s travelled well from Japan and seems to have come out of that race well,” he told www.hkjc.com.

“She’s where we want her and I’m happy with everything here. What more can you say about her?

"She’s just amazing.”

Ouija Board is set to face Alan Swinbank’s Canadian International winner Collier Hill, John Oxx’s Irish raider Kastoria and the Aidan O’Brien-trained Scorpion in Sunday’s contest.

Scorpion, winner of the 2005 St Leger, has been limited to just two starts this year and was most recently seen finishing fifth behind Red Rocks in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

He delighted connections in a steady canter on the all-weather track.

O’Brien’s travelling head lad Pat Keating said: “He’s travelled well and he’s settled well here. He was maybe a little fresh in his last race and he can come on again from that run here.”