Fashion queen ready for international bow
Elegant Fashion was a mare at peace with herself and her world yesterday, as Hong Kong's new queen emerged from her Derby dance unfazed. 'She has come through the race really well but you wouldn't expect anything else from her - Elegant Fashion is a very hardy mare and absolutely thrives on her racing,' trainer David Hayes observed.
He once again praised the contribution of the stable staff. 'Everyone in the stable should celebrate this Derby win for the great contribution they have made,' he said. 'There are adjustments which have to be made to train a filly, especially when she is in a yard full of males. It is a credit to all the staff in my stable how they have recognised the difference and made the adjustments.'
The next assignment for Elegant Fashion will be the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup over the same course on April 27, but this time against international competition as the first leg of the World Series. The past two Derby winners, Industrial Pioneer and Olympic Express, were well beaten in the race after dominant Derby victories so Hayes is keeping the QEII as his event horizon.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club, whom Hayes and owner Gene Tsoi Wai-wang thanked for their assistance in Elegant Fashion's preparation, has greeted the victory with great optimism. 'I'm especially pleased because Elegant Fashion was a mare who came here under our replacement policies, and that shows how the scheme is working,' said director of racing Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.
'But I am also pleased to see her win because it shows the growing maturity of our racing. At one time, racing in Hong Kong was only about geldings and had no breeding connection.
'More recently there have been more colts, and Jeune King Prawn recently went to stand at stud in Australia,' said Engelbrecht-Bresges. 'Now we have a mare winning the Derby and I think some of our owners, many of those who own mares overseas, are looking seriously at bringing them to Hong Kong.'
Graphic: DERB22GES
