Andre Fabre and Maxime Guyon turned the clock back nine years when Junko came from last on the turn to capture the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Too easy (image Grant Courtney)
Fabre and Guyon combined to win the race in 2014 with Khalid Abdullah’s Flintshire (GB). It was the third win in the race for the 77yo trainer who teamed with Olivier Peslier to win with Borgia (GER) in 1999.
Carrying the colours of his breeder Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, the 4yo son of Intello (GER) defeated Damian lane on the Deep Impact entire Zeffiro (JPN) by a length with two and quarter lengths back to the 3yo Galileo x Sea Siren filly Warm Heart who edged out Geraldina (JPN) for third.
A last start winner of the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Bayern on a heavy track at Munich, Junko advances his record to seven wins, two seconds, and three thirds from 14 starts.
Guyon has been on in 13 of those 14 starts but missed out on his Group 1 in Germany.
“I'm really happy because it's time to win this race (again). Nine years ago, it was Flintshire,” said Guyon.
“We didn't know before the race if he would like this ground or not because normally he prefers the soft ground but today in Hong Kong the ground was good.
One for France (image Grant Courtney)
“We had a good race, we have not a lot of runners so I'm not too far back and just after the last turn, he has a good turn of foot.
“He's very relaxed and of course the pace is not way fast but the most important thing with the horse is if he's breathing really good and everything is okay. That's why I relaxed with him because he's very relaxed.”
“Everybody knows Andre Fabre. He's the best trainer.
“He has done a really good job with this horse because he has just won a second Group 1 with this horse - he's just won a Group 1 in Germany - and he comes to Hong Kong for a win and it's not easy to do that. I'm really happy for the team.
“It’s a really important place, all the jockeys want to come to Hong Kong to finish the year and it's a really good weekend.”
First blood to France (image Grant Courtney)
He is the best of three winners from four to race for the stakes-placed Dynaformer mare Lady Zulu, a half-sister to multiple GrIII winner and Gr1-placed Optimizer (English Channel).
French Derby winner Intello (GER) (Galileo) stands at Haras de Beaumont in France for €8,000.
