After a dull effort in the Japan Cup (Jpn-I), Irish-bred Powerscourt hopes to rebound with a strong showing in the Dec. 12 $18 million (HK) Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup (HK-I) at Sha Tin. The Aiden O'Brien-trainee will break from barrier one under jockey Jamie Spencer in the 2,000-meter (1 ¼-mile) race.
"It's a great spot if he jumps out smartly, or it's a bad if he jumps out slowly," Spencer said following the barrier draw at Sha Tin. "He is a very nice horse so we will wait and see what happens at the break."
The jockey said he would sit down with O'Brien and finalize a plan of attack. "Everyone wants to draw the one, so I think we did pretty well. I will have a plan and so will Aiden, so we will mix and match plans and go from there."
A son of Sadler's Wells out of the Rainbow Quest mare Rainbow Lake, Powerscourt races for Susan Magnier.
Powerscourt finished a disappointing 10th in the Japan Cup after breaking from the outside and getting off to a slow start. The 4-year-old also got off to a slow start in the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT), when Spencer had to make up ground to give the colt a third-place finish.
Powerscourt won the Tattersalls Gold Cup in May, then was disqualified in the Arlington Million (gr. IT) after a steward's decision of interference.
The Michael Jarvis-trained Rakti will be looking to go place better than his second-place finish behind Falbrav in the 2003 edition of the Cup. Rakti will break from barrier seven.
Rakti, campaigned by Gary Tanaka, who will also be represented by Touch of Land in the Cup, won the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in September then finished 14th of 16 in the Japan Cup Mile Championship (Jpn-I).
The field for the Hong Kong Cup includes:
1 -- Powerscourt (Jamie Spencer)
2 -- Bowman's Crossing (Mick Kinane)
3 -- Fields of Omagh (D. Nikolic)
4 -- Touch of Land (C. Lemaire)
5 -- Soldier Hollow (W. Mongil)
6 -- Latice (Christophe Soumillon)
7 -- Rakti (P. Robinson)
8 -- Dance in the Mood (Olivier Peslier)
9 -- Ain't Here (B. Prebble)
10 -- Bullish Luck (Felix Coetzee)
11 -- Elegant Fashion (G. Mosse)
12 -- Alexander Goldrun (K. Manning)
13 -- Ancient World (Frankie Dettori)
14 -- Walkamia (E. Legrix)
