Europeans run well but fail to register a victory in Hong Kong

Dominant beats The Fugue (nearside) with Dunaden in third (far side) in the Longines Hong Kong Vase. Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

It was not the day that Europe had hoped for with all the big guns downed on the big international raceday in Hong Kong, run in the early hours of this morning British time, but a number of horses ran with great credit on the sharp Sha Tin track.

Star fillies The Fugue, Sky Lantern and Moonlight Cloud were all beaten, although The Fugue put up another great effort to finish second in the Longines Hong Kong Vase behind the ex-Roger Varian-trained Dominant, now trained by John Moore in Hong Kong.

The Fugue was once again unlucky, as she was in the Breeders’ Cup when she could not hold off the late thrust of Magician.

Off a slow pace which did not help her, she was shuffled back at a crucial time and was nearly last with two furlongs to run.

William Buick galvanised her and she made a storming run in the straight, but Dominant had already made his move and The Fugue was just unable to overhaul him.

European horses fared very well in the race, with Dunaden, trained in France by Mikael Delzangles, a close third, the Ed Dunlop-trained Red Cadeaux in fourth and the Willie Mullins-trained Simenon in fifth. Mount Athos, trained by Luca Cumani, was ninth.

In the Longines Hong Kong Mile, both Sky Lantern and Moonlight Cloud were too keen early on and had nothing left in the tank at the end of the race in a race won by the locally-trained Glorious Days.

Moonlight Cloud, running what was probably the last race of her brilliant career, finished sixth while Richard Hughes eased Sky Lantern down when her chance had gone to come home last.

Sky Lantern stays in training with Royal Ascot likely to be her starting point in 2014.

Best of the Europeans was Gordon Lord Byron in fourth – if he had got a run earlier, he may well have been second.

The Longines Hong Kong Cup also went to a locally-trained horse, with Akeed Mofeed, formerly trained in Ireland by John Oxx, putting up a fine performance to win.

French ace Cirrus des Aigles, who found Farhh just too strong in this year’s QIPCO Champion Stakes and will stay in training next season, ran his best race in Hong Kong to finish third with the Andrew Balding-trained Side Glance in fifth.

In the Sprint, Japan triumphed in the shape of Lord Kanaloa, winning the race for the second year running, this time by a remarkable five lengths.

Sole Power ran a fine race for Eddie Lynam and Johnny Murtagh to finish second, with stable companion Slade Power forced out wide and unable to land a blow.

There was a horrible incident close to the line, however, when British challenger Jwala, the mount of Steve Drowne, was squeezed up and fell, suffering fatal injuries.

Drowne was thrown to the ground and sustained a punctured lung and a broken collarbone and will now face another period on the sidelines after only returning to the saddle in March.

It was a huge and very sad blow for trainer Robert Cowell after Jwala proved a revelation in the Coolmore Nunthrope Stakes, beating red-hot favourite Shea Shea and Sole Power in the Group 1 QIPCO British Champions Series sprint at York in August.