Chairmans Sprint Prize: Buffering and Chautauqua take on the best in Hong Kong

Race 7 at Sha Tin (Hong Kong) on Sunday (5.30pm AEST) is the Chairmans Sprint Prize, an International Group 1 1200m race which is now part of the Global Sprint challenge that comprises races in Australia, England, Japan and Hong Kong.

It has taken the place of the now defunct Kris Flyer Sprint in Singapore. Since its inception in 1994 it has been a local Hong Kong Group 1 race and was run in late February until this year.

That has given our best sprinters the opportunity to feature in the big Autumn sprints in Victoria and New South Wales, and now take on the best that Hong Kong (and other countries) has to offer at the end of April.

And what a fascinating race we have to look forward to with probably our two best sprinters arriving in Asia right at the peak of their powers.

The old marvel Buffering is better than ever, coming off a stirring and somewhat unexpected victory in Dubai against some very slick sprinters, including one of Hong Kong’s best in Peniaphobia (opposed him again here).

His age of eight does not weary ‘The Buff’. In fact he seems to be getting better with each passing year, and enjoying his frequent flyer points and differing destinations.

He just loves to race on the fresh side (12 wins from 20 with more than three weeks between runs), and comes into this race off a break of 35 days which should be just perfect for him.

He has raced in Hong Kong before unsuccessfully, but he wasn’t at his best then, and he hasn’t been overtaxed of late, only having had five starts in the space of five months, which followed a ten month break.

The cool head of Damien Browne aboard is always an asset, and he has drawn perfectly in barrier three (drew barrier eight the last time he was here), which should afford him every chance.

From that inside gate he should lead the race with the two Hong Kong horses most likely to challenge him (Peniaphobia and Aerovelocity) drawn barrier eight and 14 respectively.

Neither jockey on those two horses would be best advised to duel him up front, because it could bring about their own downfall. So perhaps Browne holds the aces on Buffering.

He is going to be awfully hard to beat with recent history telling us that Barriers 1-5 have provided ten of the past twelve winners of the race.

And while no horse has won the race at the ripe old age of eight, it’s doubtful too many have tried, and it’s also interesting that no horse below the age of six has won in the past six years (three 6yo’s and three 7yo’s).

His $7 early price is exceptionally appealing for his ever expanding fan club.

The Powerhouse Grey flash that is Chautauqua comes off an absolutely breathtaking,and perhaps career best win in the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick where he came with a scintillating finishing burst from last on the turn.

That took his career record to eleven wins and eight placings from twenty one starts, with ten of those wins with more than two weeks between runs.

A 29-day break coming into this race is perfect for him, as is his barrier draw of six. Tommy Berry rides and that can only be a bonus considering the last start win aboard and his superb record in Hong Kong over the past two or so years.

He is a one-dimensional horse in regard to having to race rearward, and that factor is considered somewhat of a negative at this track.

Not too many horses come from last or near last to win 1200m races at Sha Tin, but not too many would have possessed anywhere near his ability. It wasn’t so long ago that we witnessed the World Class HK galloper Able Friend (Big Red!) demolish a top-class field at this track and distance, screaming home from the rear to win, conceding the likes of Gold- Fun and Peniaphobia 3kg and 5kg respectively in the process.

If he can do it then the big Grey Chautauqua probably can too, especially considering that 1200m isn’t the forte of Able Friend, but certainly is in the case of this horse.

His chances might depend on a fast pace up front, but it’s hard to suggest that we won’t get at least a truly run race, that will give him the chance to unleash his devastating late sprint.

That would be a sight to behold over the concluding stages of this race. I’m not sure his opening price of $2.30 is any real value, but his legion of Aussie Supporters won’t mind too much if he rises to the occasion as expected.

I’m not suggesting it’s going to be easy for either of the Aussie horse to topple this high class field, but they look ready to run the races of their lives, and their best does look good enough. So what of their opposition?

Lucky Bubbles ran his first two races in Australia for Bjorn Baker (won one) is the lowest priced Hong Kong horse in Australian betting markets at present. He is the same price as Buffering at $7.

Only recently graduated to the top grade sprinting ranks in Hong Kong, he took out a Group 2 race at this track and distance a month ago.

That took the four year old’s record to six wins and three placings from twelve starts, and he has drawn barrier 1, and has the services of former Australian jockey Brett Prebble. That is an asset given he has ridden the horse in every one of it’s ten Hong Kong starts, and has also won this race on four of the past twelve occasions.

There was talk of the horse not proceeding to this race off the last start win- physical fragility (lost weight before that last win), and his best might be seen next season. But he must have done everything right in preparation, and the cards might have fallen kindly for him here with the barrier likely to give him an economical run just in behind the pace.

That is how he races best, and if he can peak again, then he will be the one to look out for early in the straight.

Gold-Fun ran second in the International Longines Sprint when a hot favourite back in December 2015. He couldn’t quite reach Peniaphobia that day but his age of seven and barrier five look a great historical fit for this race.

He too can camp behind the front runners, and his first up record (two month break) is very encouraging in regard to winning. No doubt he can win the race, and his place chances look even better. Definitely one to put in your multiples at around a double figure quote.

Thewizardofoz is the choice of Brazilian Wizard Jockey Joao Moreira who has jumped off Peniaphobia to partner him. With five wins and two placings from eight career starts it’s not overly difficult to see why, and he vies with Lucky Bubbles here as the most promising young Sprinter in Hong Kong.

Australasian breeding buffs would be drooling at his bloodlines being a son of champion Sire Redoutes Choice (Danehill), and New Zealand Oaks winner Princess Coup.

The latter was a top class race mare who won four Group 1 races in her homeland (including a New Zealand Oaks), and won the Group Two St George Stakes at Caulfield, before running second to the Bart Cummings trained Sirmione in the 2008 Australian Cup at Flemington.

This horse has inherited all the ability of his illustrious parents, and could be crowned the Wizard Of Hong Kong come Sunday. It will need to be a Wizardly ride though from Moreira from barrier 9, on a horse that also likes to settle behind the pace.

It’s hard to see how he can get an economical run from that draw and a win seems less likely now. From a good barrier I would have had him as top selection.

Aerovelocity probably holds the mantle of Hong Kongs’ Premier Sprinter being a four time Group 1 winner at this distance. Two of them here (one of those last start), and one a piece in Singapore and Japan.

He hasn’t run since that last start in late January, but has won two trials in preparation, and generally peforms very well first up. Aussie Jockey Zac Purton has to also perform a minor miracle here to win from barrier 14 though. The horse can settle midfield, but has been seen to best advantage of late racing very close to the pace.

If Zac doesn’t elect to go forward early in this race he really does risk getting trapped very wide. That would make it very hard for him to win, but it is possible he can slot in somewhere handy if he jumps well, given the race only really has two other horses that like to find the lead.

Now a seven-year-old, he looks good on that score historically, but not so in the barrier stakes. He did actually win from the same barrier at this track and distance early in his career, but it wasn’t against this quality of opposition.

I think you require double figures to invest on him, and that is infinitely possible in Australian betting markets closer to the race. Not out of it by any stretch, but things would need to fall into place for him.

Peniaphobia (actually means a fear of poverty!) gets home advantage over his last start conqueror Buffering in this race. And with Moreira off perhaps he could be the hunter, rather than the hunted. He won the Longines International Sprint here last December beating Gold Fun, and could be very competitive in this race too.

Apparently he has been in quarantine though after his trip to Dubai, which is one of the reasons Joao Moreira switched to Thewizardofoz. He wasn’t sure he would be entered for this race. From Barrier 8 he can make a beeline for the lead, which was the case in the Longines Internation race, where he drew far wider out in barrier 14, but still won.

He will be the forgotten horse, and his odds will eventually indicate that. Don’t be surprised if he comes up trumps though, and it will be interesting to see if he or Buffering succumbs first. Maybe neither will, and they could fight out the finish after dominating on speed?

The rest of the field might be struggling to win this race, though it will also be interesting to see how former Australian horse Notlistenin’tome performs. He has been an improver at this level in Hong Kong over the past six months, but his best form might be at 1000m, and he has drawn awkwardly here in barrier 12.

Conclusion
What a race we have to look forward to here. Perhaps more of a sit back and enjoy event.
It’s interesting to note that eight of the past twelve winners of this race have been placed fourth to seventh in the early stages, so maybe a decision could be based on which horse/s command prime position from just in behind the leaders.

Based purely on that factor and recent history, perhaps Gold-Fun is the right horse to speculate on at value odds. I don’t think Buffering should be at as big a price as $7 though.

Although the head to head with Chautauqua reads 0-3 the last time they met there was only half a length between them down the Flemington straight and it would seem that ‘The Buff’ is better suited around a turn.

Twice they have met down the straight at Flemington, and ‘The Buff’ has only won one of his nine races, on that course, at that track.

This is his chance for revenge, and he might only have to beat off Peniaphobia here to pinch a winning break and race himself into Equine immortality.

In the interests of Parochialism I’m putting him on top, but the sight of Chautauqua storming home to victory down the outside wouldn’t bother me in the slightest.

This is one race no Australasian racing fan should miss, win, lose or draw. And may the best horse win!

My top four
1. Buffering
2. Gold-Fun
3. Chautauqua
4. Thewizardofoz