Mosse Confident Red Cadeaux Will Perform In The Hong Kong Vase

Gerald Mosse has formed an extremely successful partnership with Red Cadeaux and the leading jockey is confident that the tough stayer will perform well in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Red Cadeaux is heading into the Hong Kong Vase this weekend on the back of his tough second place finish behind Fiorente in the Melbourne Cup.

Red Cadeaux is heading into the Hong Kong Vase this weekend on the back of his tough second place finish behind Fiorente in the Melbourne Cup. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Mosse steered Red Cadeaux to victory in the 2012 Hong Kong Vase and in the past twelve months has partnered the gelding in some of the biggest races on the global racing calendar; with the pair finishing second in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup (2000m), third in the Group 1 Tenno Sho (3218m) in Japan, fourth in the Group 1 Irish St Leger (2816m) and second in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).

The Frenchmen watched Red Cadeaux being put through his paces at Sha Tin this morning, with the Cadeaux Genereux gelding running the final 400 metres in 25 seconds, and told Racing Ahead that he is happy with the condition of the horse but admits he faces a tough test to win the Hong Kong Vase for the second year in a row.

“It is difficult to say but I am quite happy that he has already been here,” Mosse said about Red Cadeaux’s winning chances.

“He has been a very solid competitor for me in the last two years and he is well, which I think is most important.

“He is getting a bit old but he is still competing at the top level and it is good to see him appear in that shape.

“Hopefully he will get a good run and we will see the way he is going to perform.

“He looks like he cannot get better so I am quite happy.”

The track at Sha Tin on Sunday is expected to be fairly firm and the Hong Kong Jockey Club is putting water on the track every day to try and make it as soft as possible for their biggest race day of the year.

Mosse said that connections use to believe that Red Cadeaux preferred a soft track but feels that the veteran stayer has proven that he is very adaptable and relishes the attention he receives when travelling away from his home stable.

“We always expect him to be a better horse on the ground that is a bit deep but it was hard last time in Australia and even last year here,” Mosse said.

“I think that me makes me lie because he is going everywhere and he enjoys life.

“I think the key and challenge with a horse like that is travelling and having a lot of attention and I think that he enjoys that.”

The Fugue ($2.90) is currently favourite in Hong Kong Vase betting markets, with Red Cadeaux on the second line of betting at $5.50, but Mosse believes that old rival Dunaden is the biggest threat to his mount in the Group 1 event this weekend.

“I like Dunaden except that he raced in Japan only two weeks ago but if he is fit and well he looks very solid to me,” Mosse said.

Red Cadeaux will join Luso (1996 and 1997) and Doctor Dino (2007 and 2008) as the only back-to-back winners of the Hong Kong Vase if he is successful this weekend.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.