https://www.scmp.com/rss/315990/feed The 2015 Audemars Piguet QE II Cup is a Group One race, run over 2,000m, to be held on April 26, 2015. With a purse of HK$14 million, it is an important target for many overseas connections. First run in 1975 to commemorate a visit to Hong Kong by Queen Elizabeth II it evolved into an international event in 1995, with Hong Kong horses competing against those representing Australia, France, Japan, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. 2014 saw Hong Kong Derby winner Designs On Rome edge... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Zac Purton will be fine to ride at Happy Valley tomorrow night but will make decisions today on just how light he dares to ride after having to miss the Audemars Piguet QE II Cup with a kidney stone problem. Purton's past issues with kidney stones flared up on Sunday morning and he watched the QE II meeting from a hospital bed as he awaited a laser operation to break up the stones so they could be eliminated naturally from his body. "I feel fine," he said last night. "My kidneys are a bit sore... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1778178/purton-fit-ride-after-missing-qe-ii-cup-weight-concern?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1778178/purton-fit-ride-after-missing-qe-ii-cup-weight-concern?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2015 14:22:02 +0000 Defeat in the Audemars Piguet QE II Cup changed nothing for David Hayes-trained Criterion, who is still on a plane bound for Royal Ascot on Tuesday morning. "He couldn't get cover and he was a a little bit keen," Hayes said after a meritorious third, beaten a breath by Japan's Staphanos for the second placing. "Craig Williams said he didn't want to get stuck in behind leader, Same World, who was a big outsider, so he came two wide and probably that didn't suit the horse as well as having cover.... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1777220/beaten-qe-ii-cup-favourite-criterion-still-bound-royal-ascot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1777220/beaten-qe-ii-cup-favourite-criterion-still-bound-royal-ascot?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2015 15:30:45 +0000 When it comes to the early crow, Neil Callan could almost have called it after 100m of the HK$20 million Audemars Piguet QE II Cup yesterday when Blazing Speed seemed to just materialise in his perfect spot passing the winning post the first time. "From the gates, he jumped great and I couldn't believe it, I landed in my position so early and the rest was just getting him relaxed and in a rhythm and waiting for the straight," Callan said after Tony Cruz-trained Blazing Speed had brought up the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1777216/milestones-cruz-callan-after-blazing-speed-qe-ii-cup-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1777216/milestones-cruz-callan-after-blazing-speed-qe-ii-cup-win?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2015 15:30:30 +0000 Audemars Piguet QE II Cup day opened with a surprise of the highest order after which it was almost an anticlimax as Blazing Speed upstaged some of the biggest names in the sport to give Tony Cruz his maiden win in the race and Neil Callan his biggest success in racing. The trip to Dubai took plenty out of Designs On Rome. But now he has time to recover and we'll have him right for the Champions & Chater Cup John Moore Reigning champion jockey Zac Purton had to pull out of one of Hong Kong's... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1777093/blazing-glory-tony-cruz-qe-ii-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1777093/blazing-glory-tony-cruz-qe-ii-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2015 14:15:15 +0000 Champion jockey Zac Purton is out of today’s feature Audemars Piguet QE II Cup meeting at Sha Tin, after waking in agony in the early hours of Sunday when his kidney stone issue flared up. Purton has had a history of kidney stones, most notably when his battle with Douglas Whyte for the 2012-13 jockey championship was ended by them and complications afterwards in June 2013. “I woke about 4.30 this morning in tremendous pain and I knew what was wrong. I’m shattered because, after the last time, I... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1776760/purton-out-qe-ii-cup-day-military-attack-passed-fit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1776760/purton-out-qe-ii-cup-day-military-attack-passed-fit?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2015 02:31:29 +0000 Every now and then, a big name race comes along that looks ripe for an upset and that gives Tony Cruz-trained Blazing Speed a chance to play the spoiler in the Audemars Piguet QE II Cup (2,000m) at Sha Tin today. Blazing Speed (Neil Callan) is probably rated, correctly, a little behind the likes of Designs On Rome (Joao Moreira), Military Attack (Brett Prebble) and Criterion (Craig Williams) but he has shown before that he is in the same ballpark as those sorts of horses and not to be dismissed... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1776416/blazing-speed-gets-his-chance-cause-qe-ii-cup-upset?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1776416/blazing-speed-gets-his-chance-cause-qe-ii-cup-upset?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2015 02:15:15 +0000 The HK$20 million Audemars Piguet QE II Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday is an intriguing puzzle wrapped in a morass of questions, but could also become an answer if David Hayes-trained Criterion is able to overcome the strength of the local forces. It is no secret that it is becoming ever more difficult to attract foreign interest in the increasingly competitive global scene and Australian-trained horses have been infrequent visitors for international events of any kind here in recent years. But Hayes... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1776547/criterion-could-lead-way-more-australian-trained-horses-compete-qe-ii?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1776547/criterion-could-lead-way-more-australian-trained-horses-compete-qe-ii?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2015 16:29:11 +0000 The Jockey Club is justifiably beaming at having a horse owned by the famous Niarchos family racing in Hong Kong for the first time in Sunday's Audemars Piguet QE II Cup, but someone forgot to tell the thoroughbred in question, Smoking Sun, of the significance of the occasion. Smoking Sun, a six-year-old stallion, was quite the lad at trackwork on Thursday, in an altogether uncooperative mood. Racing folk refer to this tendency to prop and refuse as "jacking up", and few traits in animal... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1775735/smoking-sun-proves-be-stubborn-stallion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1775735/smoking-sun-proves-be-stubborn-stallion?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2015 15:15:30 +0000 Champion trainer Caspar Fownes says preparing Military Attack for Sunday's Group One Audemars Piguet QE II Cup has been one of the greatest challenges of his career. The former horse of the year has battled a range of setbacks in the lead-up to the HK$20 million feature at Sha Tin. "It's been tough and if it is not one thing, it's been another," said Fownes, whose seven-year-old gelding was to face a regulation race-eve check on Saturday morning. It can be so frustrating sometimes. Just when you... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1775729/challenge-caspar-fownes-prepare-military-attack-qe-ii-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1775729/challenge-caspar-fownes-prepare-military-attack-qe-ii-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2015 14:45:00 +0000 Racing's greatest traveller, Red Cadeaux, returns to a home away from home for the fifth time on Sunday, but for the first time in spring, chasing a piece of history in the Group One Audemars Piguet QE II Cup. Raced by former Jockey Club chairman Ronald Arculli (pictured), Red Cadeaux is already the highest-earning English-trained racehorse ever, and a finish of sixth or better by the nine-year-old will push his career stake money beyond £5 million (HK$58 million). What makes the Ed... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1774766/veteran-stayer-red-cadeaux-set-top-ps5m-racing-stake-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1774766/veteran-stayer-red-cadeaux-set-top-ps5m-racing-stake-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2015 14:39:13 +0000 Trainer John Moore has put far more emphasis on Designs On Rome's rate of improvement than on an outside draw for the HK$20 million Group One Audemars Piguet QE II Cup on Sunday. Moore's reigning Horse of the Year won 12 months ago to foil then stablemate Military Attack's bid to be the first winner to return from a trip to Dubai, and now Designs On Rome finds himself in the same position. He came up with gate 11 at the draw on Thursday, with Moore's likely leader Same World on the outside in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1774767/trainer-john-moore-unfazed-outside-draw-designs-rome-qe-ii-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1774767/trainer-john-moore-unfazed-outside-draw-designs-rome-qe-ii-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2015 14:30:15 +0000 Follow @AndrewNJHawkins OK, Sportsbet, you win.  You went fishing for fools and while I thought I was being smart, I’ve been caught hook, line and sinker – simply by giving you promotion here. The Australian bookmaking firm, a subsidiary of Irish leviathans Paddy Power – known for their outlandish and controversial publicity stunts – produced a stunt of their own during the week. It might not rank up there with flying a Christ The Redeemer hot air balloon, resplendent in Socceroos jersey, over... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1767945/delusion-or-publicity-stunt-australian-bookmakers-crazy-qe-ii-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1767945/delusion-or-publicity-stunt-australian-bookmakers-crazy-qe-ii-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2015 13:21:25 +0000 Military Attack led the way on a good day for the Caspar Fownes team at yesterday's Sha Tin turf trials as the former horse of the year won his 1,600m hit-out in convincing style. Now seven, Military Attack isn't without his issues these days, but looked in superb order as he cruised through the early stages of a trial and then finished off with the trademark turn of foot that has helped him capture four Group Ones. Wearing blinkers and with jockey Zac Purton aboard, Military Attack strode... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1766403/military-ready-qe-ii-cup-attack-after-pleasing-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1766403/military-ready-qe-ii-cup-attack-after-pleasing-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2015 12:15:15 +0000 Four foreign runners are set to meet the cream of the local talent in the HK$20 million Audemars Piguet QE II Cup at Sha Tin on April 26, including a rematch of the Hong Kong Cup finish and the first Niarchos family runner in the city's history. In an increasingly competitive landscape on the racing calendar, visitors were clearly hard to marshal so hard on the heels of The Championships in Sydney and after Mike de Kock's Dubai-based team had been decimated with injury this year. "But we have... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1762768/designs-rome-leads-cream-hong-kong-crop-qe-ii-cup-campaign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/1762768/designs-rome-leads-cream-hong-kong-crop-qe-ii-cup-campaign?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2015 15:30:15 +0000