River Jetez current favourite for Gr1 QEII Cup
River Jetez current favourite in Hong Kong this Sunday
The Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup is a horse race that brings Hong Kong to a standstill. The prize money is US$1.8m or HK$14m and the Group 1 status attracts challengers from around the world. This year’s running will be no different as South African raider River Jetez trained by Mike De Kock is the current favorite at odds of 3/1.
River Jetez is a full sister to multiple Gr1 winner and multiple Horse of the Year Pocket Power. She too has reeled off big race wins in South Africa and excellent form in Dubai. Most recently she was a creditable second to Presvis in the $5m Dubai Duty Free. That alone was a massive payday for her connections but obviously a win in this race would cap a fantastic career.
Mike de Kock is no stranger to success in the race-loving former British colony. He won the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup with Irridescence in 2006 and Archipenko in 2008. He also won the Hong Kong Cup in 2008 with Eagle Mountain. This Sunday, May 1st, he will send out River Jetez to contest the QEII Cup. She will face a strong field including three other Dubai World Cup night runners — Wigmore Hall (3rd in the Dubai Duty Free), Gitano Hernando (6th in the Dubai World Cup & trained by Herman Brown) and King Dancer (9th in the Dubai Sheema Classic).
The biggest dangers in this year’s race look to be Ambitious Dragon, Wigmore Hall, and Gitano Hernando.
The race is run over 10 furlongs at Happy Valley Racecourse. The latest betting (25 April):
River Jetez 3/1
Ambitious Dragon 7/2
Wigmore Hall 9/2
California Memory 5/1
Irian 8/1
Gitano Hernando 10/1
Packing Winner 20/1
King Dancer 25/1
Mighty High 25/1
Viva Pataca 33/1
Mr Medici 50/1
Destined For Glory 66/1
Sapelli 66/1
Special Days 100/1
Semos 200/1
Super Pistachio 200/1.
