Sky Lantern vs Moonlight Cloud!

Moonlight Cloud set to be a formidable opponent for Sky Lantern. Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

Britain’s star female miler, Sky Lantern, is set to lock horns for the first time with France’s exceptional female miler, Moonlight Cloud, in the Hong Kong Mile on Sunday 8 December.

Throw in Gordon Lord Byron, who hacked up in the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock Park in September before finding Moonlight Cloud too strong in the Prix de la Foret on Arc Day, plus several top notch Hong Kong milers and a race to savour is in prospect!

Whilst Moonlight Cloud and Sky Lantern have the form to dominate their male counterparts, nothing will be straightforward.

Both like to be dropped out and come fast and late at the end of the race – you just have to watch a re-run of the Prix de la Foret when Moonlight Cloud came from last to first inside the final furlong making it look as though all her opponents were standing still!

Sky Lantern came from the back in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and sauntered home in a very similar display to the French mare.

Those tactics are not always easy with the tight turns at the magnificent Sha Tin racecourse and both will need some luck in running, but you can expect the order to change dramatically in the straight once the big two hit top gear!

With two QIPCO British Champions Series winners in the Mile in the shape of Sky Lantern and Gordon Lord Byron, the Sprint can boast three Series winners.

Sole Power took the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June while stable companion Slade Power won the QIPCO British Champions Sprint on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot last month.

The Irish-trained pair will lock horns once again with British sprinter Jwala who beat them both in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York in August.

With a stack of high class Hong Kong sprinters in the race, it won’t be easy for the raiding party but they have the form to win if they get some luck in running over the six furlongs that includes one bend.