By Alan Carasso
The Pick
Silent Witness (Aus) (El Moxie) was undefeated in his first seven career appearances from 1000 meters up to 1200 meters, having risen through the handicaps to start as the 1.3 (3-10) favourite in the 2003 G1 Hong Kong Sprint off a mark of 130. Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}) carries a profile similar to that of the local sprint legend as he prepares to make his top-level debut with nine wins and a near-miss second from 10 starts off a rating of 126.
He suffered his lone defeat when toting 133 pounds at the top of Class 2 in his first go at six furlongs last April, but has proved bulletproof this season, with three scores at the pattern level, including a half-length defeat of former stablemate and defending Sprint champion Mr Stunning in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint over this course and distance Nov. 18.
Contrarians will point out that the pace of the JC Sprint was not that demanding and that Hot King Prawn was in receipt of five pounds under the conditions of the race, but the grey gelding just keeps on keeping on and will be a warm item to continue his progression Sunday afternoon.
The Contenders
By all accounts, trainer John Size did a remarkable job with Mr Stunning, overseeing that one’s meteoric rise which included a gutsy victory over then-stablemate D B Pin (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) and Blizzard (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) in this event 12 months back. Somewhat remarkably, Mr Stunning - now trained by Frankie Lor - has gone 0-4-1 from his last five races dating back to last December, but at level weights and making his third start of the current season, he will have every chance to turn the tables.
D B Pin proved that his run in the Sprint was no fluke with a defeat of the dead-heating Mr Stunning and stable companion Beat the Clock (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) in the G1 Centenary Sprint Prize the following month. D B Pin was set to represent Hong Kong in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen last March, but the plug was pulled on the eve of his departure owing to a tendon injury. Nursed back by the ever-patient Size, D B Pin was last of nine in the Jockey Club Sprint, but not beaten all that far, and has since trialled very nicely.
Beat the Clock almost took down the colors of Beauty Generation in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup in March and further franked the form of the Sprint by defeating Mr Stunning in the G2 Sprint Cup in April. Third to Ivictory (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}) in the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize, Beat the Clock was a strong third when first-up for seven months in the Jockey Club Sprint.
Ivictory was the next best thing when winning the Chairman’s, but has turned in a pair of subpar efforts back-to-back. Size believes the forecast rain would do Ivictory some good and he also showed some of his previous spark in a recent trial.
The Roughies
Fine Needle (Jpn) (Admire Moon {Jpn}) is no Lord Kanaloa (Jpn), but is the best short-tracker in Japan based on his wins in this year’s G1 Takamtsunomiya Kinen and G1 Sprinters’ S. Lim’s Cruiser (Aus) (Casino Prince {Aus}) is the king of the hill among Singapore sprinters, having come from well off them to win the Lion City Cup last May.
The Selections
Hot King Prawn, Mr Stunning, Beat the Clock
