Richard Gibson-trained Gold-Fun found Glorious Days just too strong on international day but looks ready to follow a well-worn path by winning the Group One Stewards' Cup (1,600m) at Sha Tin this afternoon, reports Racing Post HK.
The best recipe for finding the Stewards' Cup winner over a few years has been to find the runner-up in the Hong Kong Mile and that was Gold-Fun (Olivier Doleuze) in the only blemish to his season after three successive victories in the lead-ups.
On international day, the five-year-old was used early by Doleuze to track over into a perfect spot behind the leaders, a tactical manoeuvre that was absolutely necessary from barrier 10. But a worthwhile tempo ensured that Gold-Fun didn't have a total rest during the race as he maintained that position in the first three.
When he went clear at the 250m mark, he did it easily enough but was left as a nice target to chase down in the last 100m for anything finishing the race off strongly, and that something was John Size-trained Glorious Days (Douglas Whyte).
Gold-Fun will have to be ridden the same way this afternoon with gate nine, but the pace of today's race looks tamer. Helene Spirit looks the designated frontrunner and Gold-Fun, Dan Excel and Same World will be in close attendance but there is no extra pressure on the front, unlike the Hong Kong Mile with American galloper King Kreesa engaged.
In two prior runs, Gold-Fun finished his 1,600m off with a last 400m in just over 22 seconds, while his sectional in the Hong Kong Mile was closer to 23 seconds due to that extra work in the middle stages.
Glorious Days got home himself in not much more than 22 seconds on international day, which was enough to get the prize that day after giving away a start, but he will likely need to run faster today to stand Gold-Fun three or four lengths into the straight.