Always one of the most internationally-minded of France\u2019s training elite, Mikel Delzangles has been selective with his visits to the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races.<\/p>\r\n
In a sequence stretching back to Royal Ascot winner Chineur in 2005, multiple stakes-winner Bubble Gift will be his sixth starter at Sha Tin\u2019s premier fixture.<\/p>\r\n
He carries a high level of European form and appears well-suited to the demands of the HK$22 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m), a race won by French-trained horses on ten previous occasions.<\/p>\r\n
And the four-year-old entire son of Nathaniel is conditioned by the man who brought Dunaden to Hong Kong in three consecutive years, with the highlight coming courtesy of a stunning late burst to secure victory under Craig Williams in 2011.<\/p>\r\n
Speaking to him as he watches second lot go by at his Chantilly base before boarding the plane to Hong Kong, it is clear Delzangles thought plenty about what it takes to succeed here before nominating Bubble Gift, his first HKIR contender since Ming Dynasty narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the 2015 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase.<\/p>\r\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t turn up to this meeting with just any horse,\u201d says Delzangles. \u201cBubble Gift ticks most of the boxes to do well here; this is his trip and he goes on any ground – he was a good third in the (G1, 2400) Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on quick ground behind Alpinista – so there is no reason not to try. Plus, he has a decent turn of foot.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
Although Bubble Gift has not won a race since the G2 Prix Niel (2400m) last September, he had been a model of consistency up until his no-show in the G1 Prix de l\u2019Arc de Triomphe (2400m) on his most recent start.<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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image=”34189″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
In between those two champions the flag was flown around the globe for the Delzangles team by Dunaden and in 2011 the son of Nicobar pulled off the remarkable achievement of backing up victory in the G1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) with success in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase.<\/p>\r\n
An extremely classy stayer over 3200 metres, Dunaden showed his versatility as well as his toughness when coming from well back in the field to outsprint Thumbs Up, Red Cadeaux and Silver Pond.<\/p>\r\n
\u201cI swear we weren\u2019t expecting him to win but as it was on the way home so we decided to take our chance,\u201d recalls Delzangles. \u201cHe seemed not to have had too hard a time in winning the Melbourne Cup but even so, there are not many horses that could do that.<\/p>\r\n
\u201cWe didn\u2019t do anything special in between, just kept to his routine. It was a case of not tiring him out while making sure he didn\u2019t fall asleep. But he was such an easy horse to do anything with.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
Dunaden was campaigned as a top-class mile and a half horse in 2012 and was repaid with excellent placed efforts in European Group 1s before landing the G1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) – a race for which Delzangles made a 24-hour flying visit to Australia for his final trackwork – before rounding off with a commendable fifth in Hong Kong.<\/p>\r\n
And even better was to follow in 2013, with the now-seven-year-old running Dominant and The Fugue to three quarters of a length.<\/p>\r\n
\u201cHe ran brilliantly that year and you have to remember that, in between Melbourne and Hong Kong, he had run fifth in the Japan Cup (G1, 2400m),” says Delzangles with evident pride.<\/p>\r\n
\u201cA horse like Dunaden doesn\u2019t come along every day. He was an incredibly brave horse who took his racing so well, and who loved travelling. I hope Bubble Gift can have that sort of career though of course we\u2019re not there yet.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
Those may be huge hoofprints to follow in but Delzangles has proved adept at finding the right candidates for his foreign raids and in Bubble Gift, he looks to have found another horse to go several times around the globe.<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”34186″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Always one of the most internationally-minded of France\u2019s training elite, Mikel Delzangles has been selective with his visits to the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races. In a sequence stretching back to Royal Ascot winner Chineur in 2005, multiple stakes-winner Bubble Gift will be his sixth starter at Sha Tin\u2019s premier fixture.… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":34187,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"2normal","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/hkir\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34184"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/hkir\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/hkir\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/hkir\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/hkir\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34184"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/hkir\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34184\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34202,"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/hkir\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34184\/revisions\/34202"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/hkir\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/hkir\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34184"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/hkir\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34184"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/hkir\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34184"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}