Travelling foreman Robin Trevor Jones is confident that Red Cadeaux is going into the 2014 Hong Kong Vase in good form after he worked strongly during trackwork at Sha Tin yesterday.
Red Cadeaux will carry plenty of Australian support when he contests the 2014 Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Red Cadeaux worked on the course proper at Sha Tin yesterday morning and was not asked to do a great deal, but did enough to impress Trevor Jones and other onlookers when he worked home over his final 400 metres in a shade under 26 seconds.
“He is in good form and he had his final hit out yesterday,” Trevor Jones told Sky Racing HQ.
“He didn’t do a lot, but he blew away for two furlongs and looked good on the track.
“He didn’t break any track records by a long way, but we were all very pleased with him.”
Red Cadeaux was given a couple of quiet weeks following his historic second place finish behind Protectionist in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4 before he left the Werribee International Equine Centre to make the flight to Hong Kong on November 26.
Trevor Jones revealed that it generally takes Red Cadeaux at least a week to settle when he arrives in Hong Kong and he confirmed that the plan was always to give the eight-year-old plenty of time to settle in his new environment.
“When he comes to Werribee he instantly settles because that is country life for him, but at Sha Tin we are surrounded by skyscrapers and there is a lot going on, so it takes him a bit longer just to relax and get settled over here,” Trevor Jones said.
“We went here pretty early just for him to settle down like that.
“We have done this before, we have seen what he is like and that the plan to get here three weeks before.
“This will be Red Cadeaux’s fourth visit to Hong Kong and Gerald has ridden him everytime.
“The jockey is in-form so let’s hope the horse is in-form and gets a bit of luck in the race.”
Red Cadeaux will be having his fourth straight start in the Hong Kong Vase, after winning the race in 2012 and finishing third in 2011 and fourth in 2013, and is rated a $5 in betting for the Group 1 event that will be held at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Racing New South Wales officials are desperate to draw Red Cadeaux to Sydney for The Championships and Trevor Jones confirmed that a maiden trip to Sydney was a possibility for the well-travelled stayer in 2015.
“We said that we will play it one race at a time, but we have been putting things on paper and checking what we have to do with the logistics of it all,” Trevor Jones said.
“There is a possibility that he could be in Australia in the autumn.”
