Serifos given positive Prognosis ahead of Hong Kong Mile

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Prognosis finished second behind Romantic Warrior in the FWD QEII Cup at Sha Tin in April

ALL THE eyes of Hong Kong will be focused on local equine heroes Golden Sixty and Romantic Warrior when they step out onto the turf in a bid for glory on Sunday.

Legendary local superstar Golden Sixty, winner of 25 of his 29 starts, including an unmatched nine Group One wins, bids to win the Group One LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (8.00am) for a third time.

The champion does, however, face a monumental task after being drawn next to the Shing Mun River in stall 14, and will most certainly need luck before hopefully delivering his turbo-charged finish.

With his many thousands of devoted followers still sure to support him blindly, whatever problems he is likely to encounter, he surely cannot offer any value, and it could pay to look elsewhere for the winner.

Reigning champion California Spangle is ideally drawn to dictate from the front, but was desperately disappointing last month and is opposed in favour of Japanese challengers SERIFOS and Namur.

Serifos, a winner of the Group One Mile Championship at Hanshin last season, looked in need of the run – his first since June – when eighth to rival Namur, in the Mile Championship at Kyoto last month.

He is narrowly preferred to Namur who produced a career best in that contest, but does have an awkward outside draw to overcome.

There is no doubting Romantic Warrior will be a warm favourite to retain his crown in the Group One LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (8.40am) over 10 furlongs.

The son of Acclamation went straight into Hong Kong racing folklore after winning the Cox Plate in Australia in October and will be the choice of many pundits as banker of the meeting.

However, it could pay to take a chance with another Japanese challenger, PROGNOSIS, who finished two lengths behind Romantic Warrior in the Group One FWD QEII Cup in April but, according to jockey Zac Purton, was given the wrong riding instructions, and subsequently had a chequered passage down the home straight.

POINTERS

Serifos (e/w)                        8.00am                Sha Tin 

Prognosis (e/w)                    8.40am                 Sha Tin