Sprinters Stakes News (1)
Hong Kong's Silent Witness, along with Les
Arcs and Benbaun from England, are settling in well at quarantine
facilities at Shiroi in Chiba Prefecture east of Tokyo in preparation for the
Sprinters Stakes (Gr.1-1200m)
worth approximately HK$13.5m this coming Sunday.
Les Arcs and Benbaun
arrived in Japan from London last Thursday, while Silent Witness
landed from Hong Kong and arrived at Shiroi the same day just hours after
the British pair. Meanwhile, Takeover Target of Australia is already
training at the Nakayama Racecourse, the venue for the Sprinters Stakes, having
arrived early in Japan for the September 10 Centaur Stakes (Gr.2-1200m) in which he ran second to She
Is Tosho.
Silent Witness worked
an easy two laps of cantering after loosening trot work under exercise rider
Cody Mo Wai-kit on Saturday and Sunday. Mo, who was with Silent
Witness and Bullish Luck for last season's wins in Japan, said the seven-year-old gelding was "not at his
peak, but looks to have improved greatly," adding that Silent Witness'
final fast work is scheduled for Thursday or Friday at
Nakayama.
Takeover Target galloped
Friday before the weekend races and trainer Joe Janiak plans to do one or
two days of fast work with his
champion gelding later this week.
Both British runners are said to be none the
worse for the journey to Japan and their preparation will be completed once they move to Nakayama in midweek.