Date posted April 21, 2010 | Posted by Michele Cullen | Filed under
Racing and BreedingThe only Australian horse to run at the International QEII Cup meeting at Sha Tin on Sunday, Dao Dao, is to be ridden by Jeff Lloyd.
Co-trainer Michael Hawkes said he had hoped that Brett Prebble would ride the brown son of Shinko Forest in the program’s second international event, The Champion’s Mile . However, Prebble has been booked to partner the exciting Fair Trade (Danewin - Villa Igea by Papal Power) trained locally by Casper Fownes.
Hawkes is hoping the six-year-old gelding can go a couple of spots better after finishing third last year.
Dao Dao (ex Casual Way by Casual Lies) will get every opportunity under Lloyd as the former South African rode for the father and son combination when he was based in Sydney. Now based in Hong Kong for the past year Lloyd knows the track and opposition well.
Dao Dao has travelled up and settled in well in Hong Kong and appears to be in good order.
Lloyd has also picked up the ride on the Group I Dubai World Cup runners-up Lizard’s Desire (Lizard Island - Annsfield by Northfields) in the Audemars Piguet QE II Cup (2000m) as his declared rider Christophe Soumillon is stranded in Europe along with fellow riders Kieren Fallon and Ryan Moore.
The jockeys are not the only ones stranded, the connections of last year’s QE II Cup fourth placegetter, the French trained Chinchon, are clinging to the faint possibility of a flight while Cat Junior (Storm Cat - Luna Wells by Sadler’s Wells) is now a doubtful starter in the Champions Mile due to the volcanic eruption that has caused chaos in northern Europe.
The horses trainer, Brian Meehan, has said it looks unlikely that the horse will be able to move as Heathrow doesn’t look like opening up until Friday.
The Mike de Kock-trained duo Lizard’s Desire and Imbongi (Champions Mile) and last year’s QEII Cup winner, Presvis, have all settled in well at Sha Tin as they flew out of Dubai, while Never Bouchon (Champions Mile) flew in from Japan.
