馬偉昌騎大腦出戰冠軍一哩賽
South African star Weichoing Marwing will ride last start Sydney winner Dao Dao in the Champions Mile at Sha Tin n next weekend.
Co trainer Michael Hawkes today confirmed the engagement of Marwing to ride Dao Dao in the Group One event on Sunday.
'We're happy to have him on board,' Hawkes said, 'He has the experience here in Hong Kong and he'll suit the horse.'
Darren Beadman, who rides regularly for the Hawkes team in Australia, was aboard Dao Dao when the horse won at Rosehill on April 4.
Beadman is committed to the John Moore trained HK Derby winner Collection in the Champions Mile.
Dao Dao and fellow Australian Niconero both had leisurely workouts on the all weather track at Sha Tin this morning and continued to please their respective camps.
'The horse has done well. It's great to be here with a horse you know is genuinely competitive," Hawkes said.
"The horse has been here before which is a real plus and we expect him to be right in it but we're very mindful of the strength of the opposition."
Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his father John and brother Wayne, said he was 'looking forward' to Sunday's race which will be only the second time the stable has run a horse overseas.
The first was Yell who was unplaced in the Hong Kong Sprint in 2004.
Lizzie Jelfs, looking after the David hayes-trained Niconero, reported that she had a 'happy horse' on her hands after riding him this morning.
"He's come on well in the past couple of days,' said Jelfs who supervised the gelding's lead-up work in Dubai last month when he finished fourth in the Dubai Duty Free.
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