Confidence is high that Archipenko can hoist the UAE flag in today's Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong, one of the principal horse races of the global calendar. The five-year-old won the Group One race last year for his owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and trainer Mike De Kock believes he is same form as 12 months ago.
But he will have to be as he faces a tough field including the Hong Kong champion and darling Viva Pataca, as well as British raider Presvis and Australian hope Niconero, who both beat Archipenko in last month's Dubai Duty Free at Nad Al Sheba, won so impressively by Gladiatorus. "It was a disappointing run but there were a couple of things," De Kock said. "First, we probably made a tactical mistake going out and chasing Gladiatorus, who is probably the best horse in the world at the moment.
"Gladiatorus is one of those horses that is very difficult to formulate a plan against - he goes out in front, leads by big margins and runs them into the ground and we thought that the best chance to beat him was to try to go with him. "But if you look at that Dubai race, all the horses up the front chasing him had nothing left in the straight and those that made any ground were those who didn't do much early in the race.
"We also had been battling with a respiratory problem in the lead-up to the Duty Free, too, and I think you'll see a different horse on Sunday. "Like last year, he's done very, very well since he stepped off the plane here. He didn't drop any weight and has been eating and drinking well and the couple of workouts he's had have been quite impressive." Presvis will be familiar to many UAE racegoers having won twice at the Dubai International Racing Carnival before his fine second in the US$5million (Dh18,365m) Dubai Duty Free, in which he beat 10 Group One winners.
Charlie Henson, assistant trainer to Newmarket-based Luca Cumani, is buzzing about the horse's chances, saying: "He's improved and improved and seems to me to be in grand form since arriving from Dubai. "He had his final piece of work in Dubai on Sunday and that's why he has done so little since he's been here because he did all his training at Nad Al Sheba. He's thrived since he's left England, really enjoyed the sunshine and the warmer weather, and we're really looking forward to Sunday.
"Not only is he really relaxed but just take a look at his hind-quarters - they have really developed in the last few months." Viva Pataca won the race two years ago and his trainer John Moore is enthused after his final piece of work under jockey Darren Beadman: "I'm telling you, he is as fit and well as hands can make them. "Darren said it was probably the best piece of work he has ever done before a big race."
Vibes are also positive for Niconero, who was fourth in the Dubai Duty Free, and trainer David Hayes said: "We would be confident of a first-three finish. "Dubai has given me a lot of confidence and I think he's a little bit better now than in Dubai." The other international race on the vard is the Group One Champions Mile, in which Godolphin are represented by Alexandros, the mount of Frankie Dettori.
Saeed bin Suroor, the Godolphin trainer, said: "Alexandros won his first two starts this season in good style and ran another nice race when third in the Dubai Duty Free. "I was really happy with all three of those runs and he seemed to improve with every start. "He was shipped over to Hong Kong from Dubai on Sunday and handled the trip really well. He looks in good form at the moment and is ready to run."
svance@thenational.ae
