Hong Kong International Races 2014

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Deltalady01
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Hong Kong International Races 2014

Postby Deltalady01 » Tue Dec 16, 2014 1:04 pm

HONG KONG 2014

Billed as "The greatest show on turf", this was a very successful day of first class racing. Many international stars, including Cirrus Des Aigles, Military Attack, California Memory, Able Friend, Gold-Fun, Ambitious Dragon, Sole Power, Lucky Nine, Spalato, Flintshire, Red Cadeaux, Designs on Rome

If you want to quickly catch up on the races that were run in the wee hours on Sunday morning (12-14-14) U.S. EST time, here are some links:

RESULTS / RACE REPLAYS - click on multi-angle race replay for English version
VASE: http://racing.hkjc.com/racing/Info/Meeting/Results/English/Local/20141214/ST/4
SPRINT: http://racing.hkjc.com/racing/Info/Meeting/Results/English/Local/20141214/ST/5
MILE: http://racing.hkjc.com/racing/Info/Meeting/Results/English/Local/20141214/ST/7
CUP: http://racing.hkjc.com/racing/Info/Meeting/Results/English/Local/20141214/ST/8

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BRISNET WRITE-UPS:
VASE: http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/editorial/article.cgi?id=47876
SPRINT: http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/editorial/article.cgi?id=47880
MILE: http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/editorial/article.cgi?id=47878
CUP: http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/editorial/article.cgi?id=47874

TDN WRITE-UPS:
VASE: http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/intraday_single.cfm?Flintshire_Comes_Through_as_Vase_Favorite&type=results&alertID=9402
SPRINT: http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/intraday_single.cfm?Aerovelocity_Leads_Pillar_to_Post_in_the_HK&type=results&alertID=9403
MILE: http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/intraday_single.cfm?Able_Friend_Bolts_Up_in_Hong_Kong_Mile&type=results&alertID=9404
CUP: http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/intraday_single.cfm?Designs_on_Rome_Just_Up_in_Cup&type=results&alertID=9405

HKIR - Overview of each event: http://campaign.hkjc.com/en/2014-hkir/2014-hkir-raceinfo.aspx

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CELEBRATING THE GRAND 'OLD MAN' OF THE TURF - Truly remarkable, Cirrus des Aigles, at 8 has won more than $9 Million, is the leading European-trained money-earner ever, and he has become a "yardstick by which other racehorses are measured."

While Cirrus des Aigles didn't win the Cup this time out (he was third last year), he made fourth with a good trip on ground too firm for his liking.

"He has won 20 of his 60 career races, finished second in 21 others, and finished worse than fifth on only three occasions. The bay gelding doubled his Group 1 victories this year with three more. Somehow, at 8, he is as good as ever."

"Cirrus des Aigles is celebrated in French racing, but with the Arc and its trial, the Prix Foy, closed to him (he's a gelding), Barande-Barbe has had to send him on the road. Some of his best races have come in Ascot’s Champion Stakes, in England. He won the inaugural running in 2011 over seven winners of 31 Group 1 races across four continents. It was his first. The next year, he memorably pushed the undefeated Frankel to one of his narrowest triumphs." "That six-year career — which continues — is one of the most incredible in turf history. Never has such unexceptional breeding yielded such quality."

This article was written before the Hong Kong Cup, in which he got a piece of it in 4th. He always seems to be able to finish in the top money. His trophies this year include handing the then undefeated 2013 Arc winner Treve her first loss, beating Flintshire who was second in the 2014 Arc (behind Treve).

Read more at NY Times - Ryan Goldberg
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/13/sports/international/at-8-cirrus-des-aigles-is-a-model-for-other-racehorses.html