Saturday 18 April 2015 10:38, UK
Red Cadeaux and his Australian conqueror Criterion are set to clash again in the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
The Group One contest is little more than a week away and three of the four overseas raiders with designs on the HK$20 million prize stretched their legs under a picture perfect sky at Sha Tin Racecourse on Friday.
Australian star Criterion and British globe-trotter Red Cadeaux arrived from Australia on Tuesday after running first and second, respectively, in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick just over a week ago.
Japan's candidate, Staphanos, touched down in the early hours of Friday and the trio emerged from the quarantine area shortly after 9am and enjoyed no more than a light leg-stretch.
Robin Trevor-Jones, trainer Ed Dunlop's reliable right hand in escorting Red Cadeaux on the gelding's many international campaigns, looked on as the nine-year-old sprang onto the dirt track with enthusiasm and jig-jogged expectantly before settling into an easy walk.
"He travelled great and he's as fit as a flea," said Trevor-Jones.
"We just wanted to give him an easy week because he ran last Saturday. He'll do a little bit more next week but he's so fit, we don't really need to do much. He's not a horse that gets big and stuffy - he's a clean-winded horse. He's the same weight now as he was when he ran in the Australian Cup, so we're happy."
Red Cadeaux, successful in the 2012 Hong Kong Vase, only needs to pick up another £8,048 in prize money to reach £5 million in career earnings.
However, he has to find two and a half lengths on Criterion, who gained a third top level success when winning the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at the APQEII Cup's 2,000m distance last start. The latter's handler, David Hayes, is delighted with his charge's wellbeing.
"The horse is really well," said Hayes, speaking from Australia.
"He lost about eight kilos (kilograms) going over, which is very good given that he had a race on the Saturday and then the flight on the Monday night. I understand Red Cadeaux was exactly the same in terms of weight loss.
"Criterion has been eating up well since he arrived and put that weight back on. I'll come up on Tuesday and he'll have his final piece of work on Wednesday morning. He's very fit as it is and he doesn't need a lot of work. He'll have a nice breeze-up and be right to go on the Sunday."
The four-year-old Sebring colt was only a length behind the re-opposing Hong Kong stars Designs On Rome and Military Attack in December's Group One Hong Kong Cup at the course and distance.
Whilst this is Criterion's second visit to Sha Tin and Red Cadeaux's fourth, Sunday week's APQEII Cup represents a first overseas test for Japan's unexposed Staphanos, who ran a fine third to Nuovo Record last month in the Group Two Nakayama Kinen.
"We arrived this morning and we are happy with our horse," said Kazuo Fujiwara, representing trainer Hideaki Fujiwara.
The fourth overseas contender, Smoking Sun, will arrive from France on Saturday.
