Legendary Australian trainer Bart Cummings caused a few Jockey Club eyebrows to rise when he requested hurdles on the trotting track at Sha Tin today for his Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup contender, Catalan Opening.
Both director of racing Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges and tracks chief John Ridley were slightly non-plussed by the request, but it will be carried out.
Cummings, the Melbourne Cup maestro who has 10 victories to his credit in the great Australasian race, said yesterday: 'It's not a big deal, but we will just pop him over a couple of small hurdles. I do it now and then.' There's no question of multiple Group-placed Catalan Opening changing equine codes late in his career, however. It is more a ploy to keep the International Bowl winner interested and it can sharpen horses up.
Catalan Opening was again the pick of the morning's workers as far as the overseas challengers for the QE II Cup were concerned.
He strode out sweetly for Paddy Payne under the eye of Cummings who said: 'He is in good shape and I am pleased with him.
'He went a bit faster than I expected of him today, but its nothing to be worried about.' Senior Jockey Club vet Keith Watkins reported no problems with any of the overseas contenders, although there were some reports that Dubai contender Limpid had been slightly off his feed earlier.
Superstar jockey Frankie Dettori flies into Hong Kong today to the news that friend and trainer Eddie K. C. Lo is in hospital.
