One wag commented that Hong Kong's Dubai team left town as the 'A Team' and will come back looking more like 'F Troop' - yes, you are forgiven if you don't know the 1960s American TV comedy - though that would be unfair to the sprinters.
Joy And Fun's effort in the Al-Quoz Sprint was outstanding, not only because he missed the start when the barrier handlers weren't holding his tail, but because jockey Brett Doyle may have overdone the catch-up tactics once he was dealt a bad hand at the start.
Joy And Fun charged through the field to make up the ground during the early and middle stages. The Dubai timing system shows Joy And Fun running 0.21 seconds faster for the first 400m than the winner, Ortensia, even though he came out several lengths behind her.
The eight-year-old then got through his first 800m in 46.18 seconds to hit the lead, so it was no wonder his final 400m was nothing flashy as his legs crumpled. Whether he might have won in other circumstances we shall never know, but Derek Cruz can take a bow for having the gelding in such great form at such an age.
Likewise, Lucky Nine was an honourable defeat behind Krypton Factor. It would be difficult to rearrange the sectionals of the Golden Shaheen to suggest Lucky Nine could have beaten the winner, but what has been apparent in two years now of Meydan on Tapeta is that you don't see many horses coming from the back to win on the surface. That mitigated against Caspar Fownes' runner when he drew wide, even with a solid speed.
But the US$5 million Duty Free, where Hong Kong reasonably expected to be in the finish, was a total flop. Jockey Matthew Chadwick suggested all may still not be well with California Memory, and Xtension was well held but not terrible vis a vis all but runaway winner Cityscape in finishing under three lengths from second.
