Americain team keen on HK bid

Alain de Royer-Dupre is confident Melbourne Cup hero Americain can give him a second successive victory in the Hong Kong Vase on Sunday week.

The French handler saddled classy filly Daryakana to take the prestigious prize 12 months ago and appears to have another leading candidate in his hugely impressive Flemington winner.

He drops back to a mile and a half from two miles at Sha Tin, but de Royer-Dupre does not expect it to inconvenience his charge.

“Flemington is a good track with a long straight, he won the race very easily,” the trainer told At The Races.

“Before the race we were very confident. We worked on the track the day before and we decided to challenge very late because he has good acceleration.

“Gerald (Mosse) knows Sha Tin very well and won on Daryakana last year. Americain arrived in Hong Kong two weeks ago and I think he has adapted well.

“I think if he is well, he can be competitive in this kind of race. He looks very well at this time and the people that are with him tell me everything is OK.

“I don’t think the distance will be a problem. If you have pace, it is not a problem and he has the acceleration. We don’t know the limit of this horse.

“He will stay in training next year and will come back to France.”