Coronation Cup winner Daliapour is believed to have cost property tycoon Robert Ng Chee Siong around US$1 million and during his preparation for Sunday's 2,400-metre Hong Kong Vase he has certainly looked a million bucks. Of the overseas runners seen out working so far, two have particularly caught the eye - Daliapour and the massive American sprinter Big Jag. The Australian sprinter Falvelon has moved very pleasingly and the likes of Cup contenders Greek Dance and Fantastic Light look quality sorts, as does the Godolphin sprinter Bertolini. But Big Jag and Daliapour stand out from the crowd and that is great news for bloodstock agent Dominic Li, the 38-year-old son of Hong Kong Jockey Club chairman and passionate race fan Alan Li Fook-sum. It was Dominic Li's Rigby Bloodstock which was responsible for acquiring one of the world's top stayers to race in Hong Kong. It took Li and his Newmarket agent Andrew Sime some six weeks to bring the deal to fruition. It was clinched literally on Sha Tin racecourse last Sunday morning after Daliapour had floated through a gallop and passed the vet - again. 'It's been my biggest deal so far and also my hardest. As to whether it will be my best, well let's wait and see what the horse does, but it does look good for both the buyer and seller,' Li said. The deal was tough to put together as Daliapour had not scoped well prior to the Japan Cup leading to trainer Sir Michael Stoute pulling the son of Sadler's Wells out of the race. 'There were various conditions the horse had to pass before Robert [Ng] would buy him as naturally he wanted a very sound horse. I must say all the people in Newmarket were very helpful, from Sir Michael Stoute to the vets, and on Sunday he passed the last vet's check out here,' said Li. Li has been in game too long not to appreciate that a dream victory in the Vase is necessarily going to follow this big-money swoop. 'Everyone is hoping for a big run. His condition is very pleasing and he's a horse that is all guts and with a great temperament. He has all the typical attributes of a good horse. Let's say he's likely to run in the first four.' If he does win, then both the original owner, the Aga Khan, and Ng are going to be happy which is the finesse behind Li's clever deal. On behalf of Ng, Rigby Bloodstock offered the Aga Khan's team a sum below the original asking price plus some contingencies to sweeten the deal for both sides. Those contingencies hinge on Daliapour's finish in the Vase. But it isn't all about the Daliapours of this world for Li. Other useful performers he has brought to race here in recent seasons include All The Glory, Dancing Spirit, Flirting Dancer, Mastermind, Noble Dancer and Sea of Jasper as well as Illico and Pasha for his father. Having none other than the Jockey Club chairman as your father may seem as massive advantage to any bloodstock agent but, as Li points out, it can be both a help and a hindrance for his agency, which is based in Central and also in Chantilly, France. 'For example, because of my father there is no way Rigby is going to win the contract to buy the French contingent for the International Sale. Rigby is a small, independent agency but we're still not going to get it. No way. That's just a fact,' he points out. But the orders could come flooding in if Daliapour does the business on Sunday. The feeling from the stable is very much that Daliapour is back to his best. Greek Dance's lad, Jacky Tervit, said yesterday: 'The boss was cautious not to send Daliapour to Japan when he scoped a little dirty last month. He seems very well now.' Tervit also reported Greek Dance was in tip-top condition which is how trainer Trevor Mckee sees his champion mare Sunline, who goes for the Mile. He said: 'I'm very pleased with her. She's travelled well and settled in. She's only two kilograms lighter than when she left home.' Sunline dropped out in last year's 2,000-metre Hong Kong Cup won by Jim And Tonic. This time round McKee is confident of a much better showing. 'She just had a few little niggling problems last year and wasn't herself. She's much better this time round and the 1,600-metre race is more suitable,' he said. Big Jag isn't the only American contender in the $6 million Sprint as Randy Morse has Morluc in and reckons he's the best grass sprinter he's had in 20 years with a licence.
