Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup.

Powerscourt was the first of the 37 overseas horses assembled at Sha Tin ahead of Sunday´s Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races to set foot on the turf at trackwork on Monday morning.

Powerscourt was the first of the 37 overseas horses assembled at Sha Tin ahead of Sunday´s Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races to set foot on the turf at trackwork on Monday morning.

Trained by Aidan O´Brien, the son of Sadlers Wells, who shipped to Hong Kong on December 1 from Tokyo following his tenth-place effort in the Gr.1 Japan Cup on November 28, looked at home on the Sha Tin turf as he stretched his legs under Seamus Heffernan, breezing up the straight in good style.

Travelling head lad Pat Keating said: 'He´s come out of the Japan race fine. The track was very firm in Tokyo, and he had a tough task there from his wide draw. I think this track, which is firm but has some cushion to it, will suit him better, and it will also help him coming back in trip to ten furlongs here.'

Keating added that the Aidan O´Brien pair of Brian Boru (CX Hong Kong Vase) and Antonius Pius (CX Hong Kong Mile), who arrived from Ireland on Saturday, would be out on the track tomorrow.

Michael Jarvis´s Rakti, another horse on a recovery mission following his disappointing run in the Mile Championship in Kyoto last month, took a very strong hold as he exercised on the all weather surface this morning.

Travelling head lass, Claire Sparkes, who has been with Rakti throughout his travels, said: 'Everything just went wrong in Japan. He got very wound up in the preliminaries, and then missed the break and they went very fast. Running here in the Cup over ten furlongs will give him a little bit longer to sort himself out.'

Of the other international contenders in the CX Hong Kong Cup, the French fillies Walkamia and Latice were both out on the all weather track for a light canter. Henri-Alex Pantall´s Touch Of Land was also in the French group on the all-weather track.

The Irish filly Alexander Goldrun, winner of the Prix de L´Opera (Group 1) on her latest start was doing a nice piece of work on the all-weather when she swerved left about 200m from the winning post. 'She´s often looking around in her work and there´s not a bother on her. I don´t she has seen anything like that big TV screen inside the track, though; but she´s in grand form,' her work rider said.

Top Japanese three-year-old filly, the Classic winning Dance in the Mood appeared on the turf track after jogging in the trotting-ring. Terukazu Araya of Shadai Farm, who came to Hong Kong with his filly, said: 'She travelled very well. She has been to America in July and this trip was much easier. She is very relaxed.'