Racehorse TALK

Douro Valley work strongly on the course proper over 1200 metres in 1.15.8 seconds with a rousing last 400 metres in 22.8.  Danny O'Brien arrives Wednesday and he would have had encouraging reports from foreman Paul Koumis.

[stormy]

Horse Name	Country	Age	Sex	Trainer	Wrat
Douro Valley (AUS)	AUS	7	g	Danny O'Brien	78.0
Poseidon Adventure (IRE)	GER	5	h	Wolfgang Figge	69.0
Doctor Dino (FR)	FR	6	h	Richard Gibson	68.0
Packing Winner (NZ)	HK	6	g	Peter Ho	66.3
Purple Moon (IRE)	GB	5	g	Luca Cumani	55.0
Sixties Icon (GB)(Scratched)	GB	5	h	Jeremy Noseda	54.8
Jackpot Delight (NZ)	HK	5	g	Caspar Fownes	54.3
Dickens (GER)(Scratched)	GER	5	h	Hans Blume	52.4
Ambitious General (AUS)	HK	5	h	David Hall	51.4
Mores Wells (GB)	IRE	4	c	Kevin Prendergast	44.2
Muhannak (IRE)	GB	4	g	Ralph Beckett	43.8
Mourilyan (IRE)	SAF	4	c	Herman Brown	43.0
Buccellati (GB)	GB	4	c	Andrew Balding	42.7
Jaguar Mail (JPN)	JPN	4	c	Noriyuki Hori	41.1
The Bogberry (USA)	FR	3	c	A de Royer-Dupre	31.4

The best I can do at this Stage,

Sorry wrong race.

I know several of the owners of this horse, who form part of the Racing Australia Syndicate.

A lot of them have flown out and will be in attendance at the race meet this Sunday evening.

I am feeling very happy and confident for them.

good luck to him , but i think he has next to none - unless it is a walk (be surprised)- but haven't done form yet but thought doctor dino was a good chance to repeat or jackpot delight seems to working well towards this

Duoro Valley a good chance in the Euro benefit race? I doubt it very much. The draw has cemented things. 

Cant see how Douro Valley could possibly win this or even place.

Considering he is the second highest rated horse going into the event, why doesn't he have a chance?

He has proven himself at Group 1 level this spring, winning the Yalumba over 2000m, and running 2nd a month ago in the barest of margins at WFA over 2400m.  Not to mention his Caulfield Cup 2nd placing last year,and several other Group placings this year.

He does like to get back, and Darren Beadman, who rode him to victory in the Naturalism (def. Maldivian by the way) is back on, and from what I have been told, actually put his hand up to ride the horse before they chased him.

No matter what happens Sunday, the connections of this animal are just very proud to be in Hong Kong and we as Australia should be proud that we even have a horse capable of running in an event, who goes in as the second highest rated horse in the field. 

If you think he can take the race Danewin all you need to do is state your case and put your money on. I give Duoro Valley no hope. I don't need to tell anyone why or how I reach that conclusion. Come this Sunday one of us will be right and one will be wrong. Best of luck.

Danewin,

Even though he won a Grp1 in the spring, he led and they walked and I dont think it was the greatest Grp1 during the spring. Even in the Sandown Classic it was run slowly and he was riding the pace and was beaten by Zipping who came from last.

I just dont think hes good enough to win or place.

I hope im wrong for the sake of the connections.

Is that the same Ambitious General than ran second in the AJC Derby here? And if so - how has he been going over there?

This could be another good year in HK for Japan.  Jaguar Mail looks a great E/W bet here at 17/1, especially with Kinane from Gate 2.  The trainer of Super Hornet in the mile is happy with the horse after travelling, and although its hard to line up the form, I doubt any of these would be running Vodka down...  Pace and Sha Tin should suit - again 6/1 E/W looks great value.
You'd think Apache Cat and Viva Pataca would win the other two features, but stranger things have happened.