Heavyweights ready to take on world

Hong Kong trainers Caspar Fownes and John Moore were both flying positive flags yesterday as they gear up for assaults on major races in the Asia-Pacific region in the coming weeks that promise a boom international start to the new season.

Fownes flies out today to supervise final preparations for Lucky Nine and Green Birdie as he targets the HK$6 million first prize in Sunday's Centaur Stakes at Hanshin in Japan, while John Moore's Melbourne raiders, Mighty High and Silver Grecian, arrived safe and well just over two weeks before their Australian debuts.

Fownes will assess first hand what the pair need to have them on their mark for the Centaur, for which Lucky Nine looks certain to be one the favourites.

'They have both eaten well, and are drinking well since they arrived so their condition is not a real concern,' Fownes said yesterday. 'Their body weights are right, but I want to see them myself. If they look like they might need a more positive workout on Thursday to top them off then that's what they will have, but I won't decide on any work for them until I get there.'

Fownes said both horses 'will be in good shape to run well first-up' but will have something left to take into their proposed second run, the Group One Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama in three weeks.

'They each had good solid trials before they got on the plane and will be fit enough to win but not bottomed out,' he said. 'A few people have said Lucky Nine didn't beat Good Words that easily in the trial, but anyone who thinks he didn't trial well is underestimating Good Words. Lucky Nine is a quality horse and will be right in the finish on Sunday with even luck, and I won't be surprised if Green Birdie runs well at a big price.'