No Treasure as Rulership reigns
The Japanese-trained Rulership, trained by Katsuhiko Sumii and ridden by Umbero, won the Group 1 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Last Updated: 29/04/12 11:25am
The Japanese-trained Rulership won the Group 1 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Trained by Katsuhiko Sumii and ridden by Umbero Rispoli, the five-year-old came home ahead of Thumbs Up and Sweet Orange.
Zaidan, formerly trained by Clive Brittain, was fourth whilst Aidan O'Brien's former Irish Derby winner Treasure Beach finished in midfield under Jamie Spencer.
Trainer Sumii is best known on these shores for training Japan Cup winner Pop Rock, Melbourne Cup winner Delta Blues and Dubai World Cup winner Victoire Pisa.
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Rispoli said: "I won on him in Japan last year and when I rode him in the mornings last week he went extremely well.
"I had two scares which were the ground and the pace. The ground had dried-up but the pace was slow, so I rushed him up and pushed-on."
Torrential rain had brought about a red alert throughout Hong Kong earlier in the day, but the conditions brightened-up to the extent that the feature race was run in warm, sultry conditions.
Rispoli leaves on Sunday evening to ride in France through the summer, but vowed to be back.
"It's the most important win of my career. I leave tonight but want to come back on a long licence next year," he said.
Despite the Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained Chinchon failing to make the frame, he ran well enough for connections to favour a trip to Kranji for the Singapore Airlines Cup in three weeks.
His rider Ryan Moore said: "He ran very well, but they went too fast early and the pace didn't suit him."
Jamie Spencer was at a loss to explain the lacklustre performance of Treasure Beach, who had previously finished fourth in the Sheema Classic at Meydan.
He said: "He was very disappointing and just didn't fire."
Ex-Ballydoyle inmate Viscount Nelson was another to disappoint for South African trainer Mike de Kock.
"He ran a good race but that's as good as we think he is," said jockey Kevin Shea.