HONG KONG -- Connections declared it all systems go as Japan's challengers in Hong Kong's International Races were taken through their final pre-race paces Friday morning at Sha Tin Racecourse. Of the three Japanese horses taking on the Mile, the top-rated Lohengrin was given the most amount of work Friday, breezing over the all-weather track under assistant trainer Takayuki Chubachi.
Telegnosis, with assistant trainer Yoshihiro Kishi aboard, cantered two laps of the same with Admire Max galloping lightly over a lap under Yuta Komiyama. Lohengrin trainer Masanori Ito, was very pleased with the Singspiel-sired 4-year-old. "He's doing very well. Everything is going to plan." Ito said. Ito walked the track earlier in the morning and found it "very similar to the Japanese turf. I don't know if they're going to water it but if not I think it may be a bit hard for the European horses," he said.
Admire Max's trainer Mitsuru Hashida also said things were fine with his colt's progress. A slight drop in weight was not a concern, he said, and had not prompted him to go lightly on the exercise Friday morning.
Telegnosis Jockey Masaki Katsuura also observed the work. "I'm confident about Sunday, but he's a difficult horse. When he runs he runs but when he doesn't he doesn't. The question is how much he'll feel like running Sunday. We have a good draw and I won't be going wide, " Katsuura said. "I think we have a chance."