SOUTH Africa will be represented by two horses in the $1.8-million Audemars Piguet QEII Cup (Group 1) over 2000m at Sha Tin on Sunday 1 May – Mike de Kock-trained River Jetez and Herman Brown’s Gitano Hernando.

Gitano Hernando finished sixth, but only 2.75 lengths behind Japanese star Victoire Pisa (renews rivalry) in the recent Dubai World Cup at Meydan in a race that was run at an excruciatingly slow pace that saw the horses sprint for home. River Jetez, last year’s J&B Met winner, was only outgunned late by Presvis in the Dubai Duty Free on World Cup night.

\

River Jetez, arriving in Hong Kong. (hkjc.com)

Herman Brown jun, who took over the training of Gitano Hernando after the World Cup because the five-year-old was sold to Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov in a deal reported to be worth $4 million, says: “The horse is still in Dubai. He is working well and eating well. I’m happy and hopeful.

Mike leaves for Hong Kong on Thursday.

QEII Cup Field

Country / Region Int’l Rating Name of Horse Age Sex Wt. Trainer

JPN 122 ** Victoire Pisa (JPN) 4 c 126 Katsuhiko Sumii
HK 119   Irian (GER) 5 g 126 John Moore
SAF 118 ** Gitano Hernando (GB) 5 h 126 Herman Brown
GB 117   Wigmore Hall (IRE) 4 g 126 Michael Bell
HK 116 * California Memory (USA) 5 g 126 Tony Cruz
HK 116 * Packing Winner (NZ) 8 g 126 Peter Ho
HK 116 ** Viva Pataca (GB) 9 g 126 John Moore
HK 115 * Ambitious Dragon (NZ) 4 g 126 Tony Millard
HK 115 * Mr Medici (IRE) 6 h 126 Peter Ho
HK 114   Mighty High (FR) 5 g 126 John Moore
HK 113   King Dancer (IRE) 5 h 126 Sean Woods
HK 100   Destined For Glory (IRE) 4 g 126 John Moore
HK 100   Sapelli (NZ) 5 g 126 John Size
SAF 115 ** River Jetez (SAF) 7 m 122 Mike de Kock
      (14)        

Reserves :
HK 100   1. Semos (FR) 4 g 126 David Ferraris
HK 114   2. Special Days (NZ)  7 g 126 John Size
HK 104   3. Super Pistachio (IRE) 5 g 126 Tony Cruz