A world class line-up of 14 selected runners has been announced for the HK$20 million G1 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup (2000m) on Sunday, 24 April, the first of Hong Kong's four international G1 highlights this spring.
An exciting trio from Japan, featuring dual G1 hero Lovely Day, will join Ireland's G1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m) hero Highland Reel, France's Dariyan, the UAE's Ertijaal, and Rising Romance (NZ) (Ekraar) in challenging Hong Kong's finest 10-furlong stars, led by Designs On Rome, in the Sha Tin showpiece which is the world's ninth-highest rated race.
Mr. Anthony Kelly, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Executive Director, Racing Business and Operations, said: "The Audemars Piguet QEII Cup has established itself as a renowned international Group 1 contest since Audemars Piguet first partnered with the Hong Kong Jockey Club 17 years ago. The success of that collaboration is seen today in the fact that seven elite overseas runners will compete against the best of Hong Kong in what is now a world's top 10 race.
"Japanese horses have a long tradition of success at Sha Tin and it is particularly exciting to see Lovely Day, Nuovo Record and Satono Crown among the selections. We also have the first and third from December's Hong Kong Vase, Highland Reel and Dariyan, while Rising Romance and the UAE's Ertijaal are proven G1 performers, too. With Hong Kong fielding the winners of the past three editions alongside this year's Hong Kong Derby hero, Werther, the 2016 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup is certainly living up to its top 10 status."
The David Hayes-trained Rising Romance will attempt to better last year's third-place effort of stablemate Criterion (NZ) (Sebring). The mare won the G1 Australian Oaks (2400m) in 2014 and has been in good form at the highest level in her most recent two starts.
With three past winners in the field, Hong Kong's newest kid on the G1 block, Werther (NZ) (Tavistock), will be aiming to make his mark, too. The Moore-trained gelding emerged top of this season's four-year-old class with victory in the HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) at Sha Tin in March.
First staged to mark Queen Elizabeth II's official visit to Hong Kong in 1975, the AP QEII Cup attained international G1 status in 2001. The race was opened to international competitors for the first time in 1995.
Hong Kong's spring G1s continue with the Champions Mile and the Chairman's Sprint Prize (1200m) on Sunday, 1 May, and conclude with the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) on Sunday 22 May.
-HKJC
An exciting trio from Japan, featuring dual G1 hero Lovely Day, will join Ireland's G1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m) hero Highland Reel, France's Dariyan, the UAE's Ertijaal, and Rising Romance (NZ) (Ekraar) in challenging Hong Kong's finest 10-furlong stars, led by Designs On Rome, in the Sha Tin showpiece which is the world's ninth-highest rated race.
Mr. Anthony Kelly, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Executive Director, Racing Business and Operations, said: "The Audemars Piguet QEII Cup has established itself as a renowned international Group 1 contest since Audemars Piguet first partnered with the Hong Kong Jockey Club 17 years ago. The success of that collaboration is seen today in the fact that seven elite overseas runners will compete against the best of Hong Kong in what is now a world's top 10 race.
"Japanese horses have a long tradition of success at Sha Tin and it is particularly exciting to see Lovely Day, Nuovo Record and Satono Crown among the selections. We also have the first and third from December's Hong Kong Vase, Highland Reel and Dariyan, while Rising Romance and the UAE's Ertijaal are proven G1 performers, too. With Hong Kong fielding the winners of the past three editions alongside this year's Hong Kong Derby hero, Werther, the 2016 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup is certainly living up to its top 10 status."
The David Hayes-trained Rising Romance will attempt to better last year's third-place effort of stablemate Criterion (NZ) (Sebring). The mare won the G1 Australian Oaks (2400m) in 2014 and has been in good form at the highest level in her most recent two starts.
With three past winners in the field, Hong Kong's newest kid on the G1 block, Werther (NZ) (Tavistock), will be aiming to make his mark, too. The Moore-trained gelding emerged top of this season's four-year-old class with victory in the HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) at Sha Tin in March.
First staged to mark Queen Elizabeth II's official visit to Hong Kong in 1975, the AP QEII Cup attained international G1 status in 2001. The race was opened to international competitors for the first time in 1995.
Hong Kong's spring G1s continue with the Champions Mile and the Chairman's Sprint Prize (1200m) on Sunday, 1 May, and conclude with the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) on Sunday 22 May.
| Country / Region | Int'l Rating | Name of Horse | Age | Sex | Weight | Trainer | |
| HK | 121 | ** | Blazing Speed (GB) | 7 | g | 126 | Tony Cruz |
| IRE | 121 | ** | Highland Reel (IRE) | 4 | c | 126 | Aidan O'Brien |
| JPN | 121 | ** | Lovely Day (JPN) | 6 | h | 126 | Yasutoshi Ikee |
| HK | 119 | ** | Designs On Rome (IRE) | 6 | g | 126 | John Moore |
| HK | 119 | ** | Military Attack (IRE) | 8 | g | 126 | Caspar Fownes |
| FR | 117 | | Dariyan (FR) | 4 | c | 126 | Alain de Royer Duprī° |
| HK | 117 | | Helene Happy Star (IRE) | 5 | g | 126 | John Moore |
| JPN | 117 | | Satono Crown (JPN) | 4 | c | 126 | Noriyuki Hori |
| HK | 115 | ** | Helene Super Star (USA) | 6 | g | 126 | Tony Cruz |
| UAE | 114 | ** | Ertijaal (AUS) | 4 | c | 126 | Mike de Kock |
| HK | 113 | * | Werther (NZ) | 4 | g | 126 | John Moore |
| HK | 111 | | Horse Of Fortune (SAF) | 5 | g | 126 | Tony Millard |
| JPN | 115 | ** | Nuovo Record (JPN) | 5 | m | 122 | Makoto Saito |
| AUS | 111 | ** | Rising Romance (NZ) | 5 | m | 122 | David Hayes |
| | | | (14) | | | | |
-HKJC