Frrom HK Racing PostFields for Sunday's prestigious HK$14 million Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup showpiece at Sha Tin look certain to be affected by the blanket of volcanic ash across European skies, and discussions are now moving to whether visiting jockeys or trainers will even make the trip. Connections of last year's QE II Cup fourth placegetter, the French-trained Chinchon, are clinging to the faint possibility of a flight to Hong Kong today, while Brian Meehan, trainer of US$12 mil

Frrom HK Racing Post

Fields for Sunday's prestigious HK$14 million Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup showpiece at Sha Tin look certain to be affected by the blanket of volcanic ash across European skies, and discussions are now moving to whether visiting jockeys or trainers will even make the trip. Connections of last year's QE II Cup fourth placegetter, the French-trained Chinchon, are clinging to the faint possibility of a flight to Hong Kong today, while Brian Meehan, trainer of US$12 million Champions Mile entry Cat Junior, will keep his options open until tomorrow - but the Jockey Club international racing manager, Mark Player, is pessimistic.

"It looks very doubtful those two horses will come," said Player, who is stranded in London. "And I have been talking to the trainers of the five foreign horses which are either there or en route about contingency plans regarding jockeys for them."

British-based Kieren Fallon and Ryan Moore, and champion Belgian rider Christophe Soumillon have been booked to ride in the two international events and may get a window to fly later in the week, but Player said that was not the only issue.

"The jockeys and the trainers of the horses which are there have major commitments in Europe coming up and the concern is that, if they do manage to get to Hong Kong, they might be unable to return," he said.

"Heathrow doesn't look like opening up until Friday and might be closed again for days if the conditions demand it. Nobody really knows and I doubt that these people want to run the risk of being stranded."

The four horses already here - Mike De Kock-trained Lizard's Desire (QEII Cup) and Imbongi (Champions Mile) from Dubai, Australian raider Dao Dao (Mile) and Japan's Never Bouchon (Cup) - are all listed to work at Sha Tin this morning.

Last year's QEII Cup winner, the Luca Cumani-trained Presvis, was due to arrive overnight. Presvis is normally based in England but will be making the trip from Dubai, where he raced on March 28, so his flight is unaffected by the air travel freeze.