Cruz: Bullish Champion cannot be ignored in Derby

Six-time Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby winner Tony Cruz admits the chances of brilliant sprinter Bullish Champion running a strong 2,000m in Sunday's main event are doubtful, but warned, 'if he gets the distance, he'll win it.'

Cruz has two horses from opposite ends of the staying spectrum entered in the HK$16 million feature for four-year-olds, Bullish Champion and Packing Tycoon.

Packing Tycoon is a typical European Derby-bound import, with form at 10 furlongs and beyond, but Bullish Champion has never raced over further than 1,400m in his 12 starts. Bullish Champion will jump from a Class One win over 1,400m win, with five weeks between runs, into the Derby, where Cruz will instruct Matthew Chadwick to lead at all costs and then rate the colt in front.

'He is known as a sprinter and I'm stretching him to a mile-and-a-quarter race, so it is a bit unknown and a bit doubtful,' Cruz said. 'But if he does run it right out, he'll win it, as simple as that. All I know is, he is as fit as he can be and he'll definitely lead the race.'

Packing Tycoon came to Cruz off a rating of 90, with a Group Three win over 2,000m and a Group Two placing over 2,400m, so his staying credentials were never in doubt. The colt had been unimpressive in his first five local starts, but drawing a bad gate in a Class One last start might have helped find the key to riding the horse.

Gerald Mosse, who rides again on Sunday, was forced to adopt hold-up tactics, which sparked the horse into action, as he charged through the line for fourth over 1,800m.