Helios Express Shoots For Classic Sweep in HK Derby

Helios Express has battled his way to victory in the first two legs of Hong Kong’s Four-Year-Old Classic Series only to find himself facing some new and dangerous rivals in the final race, the Hong Kong Derby, March 24 at Sha Tin Racecourse.

The Derby, an historic pinnacle of prestige for local owners, also in recent years has been a springboard to glory in Hong Kong’s internationally patronized Group 1 races, producing the likes of Golden Sixty and Romantic Warrior.

The road to the Derby usually involves a progression from the Hong Kong Classic Mile to the Hong Kong Classic Cup at 1,600 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) and then the challenge of 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) in the big race. That is the road Helios Express has taken, inspiring confidence in his camp despite a few bumps along the way.

Among those, Helios Express had to pass veterinary inspection to be cleared after a lingering hoof infection. Then, in the March 21 draw ceremony, it was assigned the No. 13 barrier in a field of 14.

“I’ll have to have a look at the race, see what the jocks think, and try and work it out. They haven’t done me any favors yet,” trainer John Size said of the draw before reporting positively on the hoof issue.

“The horse is fine,” Size said. “He galloped this morning, and he looks good.”

New rivals, however, throw a wrinkle in the laundry.

Galaxy Patch scored four wins from his first seven Hong Kong Starts. Those were all in class 3 and class 2 races and the wins all came at 1,200 meters (about six furlongs). In his last start, the Wandjina gelding waded into the deep end of the pool in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (G1). He responded by winning a three-way photo for second behind California Spangle, who just departed Hong Kong March 19 to contest the Al Quoz Sprint (G1T) in Dubai on World Cup night.

The 1,400-meter distance of the Silver Jubilee Cup is the farthest Galaxy Patch has yet been asked to go. And he also faces the issue of the outside, No. 14 gate in a race with a short run to the first turn.

“It’s not ideal, and it’s another challenge that we have to face with this horse,” said his rider, Blake Shinn. “But I still believe that, when I study the draw and look at the opposition, a lot of the other main chances are also drawn wide.”

“I think this horse has got the class to overcome the barrier if he relaxes and gives himself every chance to run the distance out,” Shinn said of Galaxy Patch.

While distance might be an issue for Galaxy Patch, there is no such question about Massive Sovereign. Previously trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien, the No Nay Never  gelding posted two wins and two seconds from five starts, all sprinting. He promptly opened his eyes by winning his Hong Kong debut, going 2,000 meters March 3, exploding down the straight to score going away.

His issue: That win was against lesser rivals. But jockey Zac Purton said the experience around two turns, which involves a short run to the first bend at Sha Tin, will work to Massive Sovereign’s advantage.

“I think it’s going to work in his favor that he has already had a run over the 2,000 meters because he knows where the barriers are, and he knows what the crowd is going to do,” Purton said, bowing to the expected throng of more than 50,000. “He’s already had that experience, and a lot of horses on Derby Day can get a bit wound up by the crowd at the start. So, he’s had the benefit of going through that process already.”

Yet another wrinkle in the Derby is the presence of Unbelievable , another former O’Brien charge formerly named Bertinelli. He was unplaced in two Hong Kong starts but showed better form before relocating, defeating later Group race placegetters in the London Gold Cup at Newbury.

By Justify  , out of the Galileo  mare Together Forever , he is a full brother to the O’Brien-trained City of Troy , the current buzz among European 3-year-olds. Trainer Frankie Lor admitted he’s not at top form but added, “He has a quality. So we’ll see.”