Lim’s Kosciuszko settles in for tilt at the Longines Hong Kong Sprint

Lim's Kosciuszko (Danny Beasley) lives up to his favourite tag in the Group 1 Singapore Derby last season. Photo: STC

By Larry Foley, Singapore Turf Club

“The mouse is in the house!”

That was the tweet from the Lim’s Kosciuszko camp when the pocket rocket arrived safely in Hong Kong on Thursday morning for the toughest assignment of his relatively short career – the HK$24 million (S$4.23 million) Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) on Sunday, December 11.

Weighing in at around 470kg, the five-year-old son of Kermadec is often the lightest galloper in the races he competes in. But with a career record of 11 wins from just 14 starts – which include the 2022 Group 1 Singapore Derby and the 2022 Group 1 Lion City Cup – he fights well above his weight.

But he will need to be at his very best up against some of the most talented sprinters in the world – comprising nine Hong Kong locals and four raiders from Japan – in the cauldron that is the famous Sha Tin racecourse.

Apart from the opposition, the pride of Singapore also has to perform at his peak on the back of an international flight and stabling in foreign surroundings with both horse and trainer on their maiden international hit-and-run mission.

In good news for his legion of fans back home, trainer Daniel Meagher reports the first box has been ticked with Lim’s Kosciuszko arriving safely and in very good order.

“He (Lim’s Kosciuszko) travelled supremely well,” said the young Australian handler from Hong Kong on Monday.

“Everything went smoothly. He enjoyed having Paperback Trooper (travelling companion) with him. I think that was a huge factor as he (Lim’s Kosciuszko) doesn’t like many other horses and having his mate with him on the flight kept him happy.

“In saying that, Kosi (Lim’s Kosciuszko) is a true professional and took it all in his stride. He lost six kilos – which we expected – but he’s put the weight back on already, so we’re really happy with that.”

After landing early at 9am on Thursday morning and being safely stabled at the quarantine stables at Sha Tin – his home for the next 12 days or so – Meagher put in place a game plan that would replicate his Singapore daily routine from feeding times to trackwork.

“It’s a bit fresher (colder) than Singapore but we won’t stray much from what he is used to back at home,” he explained.

“I will feed him at the same time as we do in Singapore, walk him the same time as we do back at Kranji; no need to change his routine if we can help it.

“Obviously we hand-walked him the first morning (Friday) so he could stretch his legs and have a look around at his new environment. He enjoyed that and seemed to take it all in and he showed us no signs that the travel affected him at all.

“I put the saddle on him the second day (Saturday) and (jockey) Dan (Danny Beasley) rode him on Sunday. It was a good transitional period and like I said, he’s (Lim’s Kosciuszko) a true professional and just does what is asked of him. He’s mentally in a very good way.

“We don’t gallop him the week of the race back in Singapore and we won’t here either. He had a good gallop on the grass track on Wednesday at Kranji, the Hong Kong way (clockwise), before we left and he’s fit enough.

“He had a good look around on Sunday when Dan cantered him a lap-and-a-quarter – probably a mile all up – and he did it really well. Dan was happy and Kosi was on his toes when he finished which is a good sign.

“He did the same work this morning with Dan, so there is no need to do much more. But we will increase the distance he will canter later in the week. He’s a quick learner and his body weight is close to perfect. He will probably add another few kilos by week’s end, which would be ideal.”

It is a big week ahead – racing at Happy Valley on Wednesday evening (Longines International Jockeys’ Championship), barrier draw on Thursday morning, press conferences on most days, gala dinner on Friday, and then obviously, the big race on Sunday – but Meagher is in his element.

“I’m the only trainer here at the moment but the others – like (Irish trainer) Aiden O’Brien – have travelling foreman and do this all the time. But it’s in my DNA to be hands-on,” quipped Meagher.

“It has been terrific so far. They (Hong Kong Jockey Club) are treating us so well. Nothing they can’t or won’t do. We were given Group 1 attention from the start and we couldn’t be happier.

“We have a function at the races on Wednesday night and the barrier draw on Thursday – hopefully I can draw an inside gate for Dan – and the (gala) dinner on Friday, so it’s full on.

“But it’s great to be a part of international racing and to have this little Kiwi horse take on the best in the world; it’s surreal.

“Nice to have Dan here the whole week – he’s a good mate and a great help – and owner, Mr Lim (Siah Mong) arrives with his family on Friday I think, so it will be a really special weekend for all of us.”

You can get all the latest news of the Longines International Races from the Hong Kong Jockey Club website (www.hkjc.com or twitter @HKJC_Racing). Be sure to follow all the Lim’s Kosciuszko updates via twitter with regular reports from his trainer (@meagherracingsg), jockey (@DanBeasley111) and the Singapore Turf Club (@SGTurfClub and @KranjiRTV).

iRace
Author: iRace