Dubai champions Victoire Pisa and Presvis to meet in Hong Kong

The Dubai World Cup winner will line up against the Dubai Duty Free winner in the Queen Elizabeth Cup II in a May showdown.

Victoire Pisa will run in the Hong Kong Cup following the Dubai World Cup win.
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Victoire Pisa, the Dubai World Cup winner, is set to clash with Presvis, the Dubai Duty Free victor, in the Queen Elizabeth II Hong Kong Cup in May.

The 2,000-metre race could also feature River Jetez and Wigmore Hall, who finished second and third behind Presvis on Saturday.

Victoire Pisa became the first Japanese horse to triumph in the Dubai World Cup in 16 runnings of the race when leading home compatriot Transcend at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday.

Katsuhiko Sumii intimated that a trip to Hong Kong could be a possibility in his post-race press conference, and it now has been confirmed that the trainer has applied to run in the prestigious Asian Group 1.

The Queen Elizabeth II Cup is held three weeks before the Singapore Cup at Kranji, a race run over the same distance. It gives connections the option of running Victoire Pisa in that US$2.25 million (Dh8.28m) contest, also.

The race features on the same card as the KrisFlyer International Sprint, which is set to feature Rocket Man, the Dubai Golden Shaheen winner, and possibly Kinsale King, who was scratched on the morning of the Dubai World Cup card.

"It might have helped us that the QE II Cup is a week later this year due to how Easter falls in the calendar, and the Singapore Turf Club moved its big meeting accordingly," Bill Nader, the executive director of racing at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said of Sumii's request.

"That meant horses had an extra recovery week after Dubai but also that they could still run at Kranji as well and didn't have to choose between us and Singapore."

It will be the first time a Dubai World Cup winner has contested the race although Lizard's Desire, who finished second to Gloria de Campeao at Meydan last year, ran into second spot behind Viva Pataca at Sha Tin 12 months ago.

Sumii has previous form in Hong Kong, having saddled Hat Trick to victory in the 2005 Hong Kong Mile.

Presvis also has good form there, having raced three times at Sha Tin where he won the Queen Elizabeth Cup in 2009.

Ryan Moore, the jockey, was on board when Presvis won in Hong Kong, although the three-time English champion may not be available this time around.

"The only issue that might cost us Presvis is that his trainer, Luca Cumani, was a bit concerned he wouldn't have Ryan Moore for the race as it is the 2,000 Guineas weekend in England and he'll have commitments there," Nader said. "But if he can find a suitable jockey then he seemed keen to come."