Hayes sets sights on third Classic Mile with Rubylot: ‘he's classy and honest'

South China Morning Post

30-01-2025

Australian handler expects Packing Hermod to be hard to beat but fancies his charge's chances in opening leg of four-year-old series
by Jay Rooney on Thursday, January 30, 2025 1:14 PM Brenton Avdulla boots home Rubylot (left), who is one of the leading contenders for Friday's Classic Mile. Photos: Kenneth Chan
David Hayes is optimistic Rubylot has what it takes to challenge nominal favourite Packing Hermod and prove hard to beat in Friday's Classic Mile at Sha Tin.
Chasing his third triumph in the first leg of the four-year-old series, Hayes is confident Rubylot will continue his sparkling form after notching two wins and a second from four starts this campaign.
The classy son of Rubick stamped his Classic Mile credentials with a strong win against several of Friday's rivals in the Class Two Racing Club Cup (1,400m) last start.
One of those was Francis Lui Kin-wai's Packing Hermod, who lost no admirers when rocketing home from last to finish an eye-catching fourth. — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 12, 2025
Rubylot and Packing Hermod share the top rating of 93 in this year's field, making it the first time since 2013 that the coveted race has not featured a contender with a triple-figure rating.
'I think Packing Hermod is probably the horse to beat, but Rubylot is joint top-rated, an in-form horse and crying out for a mile,' said Hayes, who bids to add to his Classic Mile successes with Resfa (1999) and Charming City (2001).
'I think he's coming through the best form and he's run well in the Class Two races, so I'm looking forward to running him against some Class Three horses at set weights.
'His record says he's classy and honest and hopefully we see that on Friday.'
A winner at five of 16 starts, Rubylot must overcome a seven-pound swing in the weights in favour of Packing Hermod from their last clash.
Brenton Avdulla, who partners Rubylot again on Friday, capitalised on an inside run from gate two to beat Young Champion by half a length in the Racing Club Cup, while Packing Hermod was forced to make his run from last after jumping from barrier 12.
On Friday, Rubylot has drawn further out in barrier 10, while Packing Hermod figures to get an ideal run from six.
Packing Hermod, who has built an imposing record of four wins and a second from six starts, can give Zac Purton a breakthrough triumph in one of the only Hong Kong features to have eluded him.
From 15 attempts, the champion jockey has had to settle for second on Garlic Boy (2013) and Helene Feeling (2024) while also finishing third on Dibayani (2014), Beauty Generation (2017) and Packing Treadmill (2023).
Purton has a perfect record from three rides on the gelding, who is also a son of Rubick. The Australian sire is better known as a producer of sprinters, but the dam's side of both Rubylot and Packing Hermod suggests the mile won't pose a problem.
'I just think he could be a really nice middle-distance horse,' Hayes said of Rubylot.
'Further than a mile will be no problem as well. He's a lovely, relaxed horse and his racing pattern is good.'
The Lui-trained Divano, the next highest-rated runner in the field of 14 on a mark of 86, is one runner who looms as a query at 1,600m and he will need a sublime Blake Shinn ride to overcome barrier 14.
Johannes Brahms will have claims after also finishing powerfully from back in the field in the Racing Club Cup to run third.
Pierre Ng Pang-chi's import won impressively on his third Hong Kong start under James McDonald in December and Frenchman Mickael Barzalona is booked to ride him on Friday.