Jim And Tonic heads European entry for QEII Cup A total of 22 individual Group One winners from 10 countries have been entered in the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup at Sha Tin next month.The 10-furlong Group One contest run on April 21 will for the first time be part of the World Series Racing Championship and has had its prize money increased by 40 per cent to around Stg#1.2million.'We are very pleased with the positive response the race has once again received,' said Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the Hong Kong Jockey Club`s executive director of racing.'Owners and trainers that were here for the International Races are keen to come back _ five out of the first six home in last December`s Hong Kong Cup, for example, hold entries. And there are plenty of exciting new names on the list. The early signs are that a fantastic race is in store.'Jim And Tonic spearheads the European challenge, which includes the Michael Jarvis-trained Hawkeye.Germany triumphed in this event last year with Silvano and the 2001 Deutsches Derby winner Boreal and Paolini, already twice a winner at the highest level, will attempt to make it a second successive win for the Germans.Godolphin`s four entries include Grandera, who was placed in three Group Ones last summer including a half-length third in the French Derby and runner-up by the same margin in the Coral Eurobet Eclipse Stakes.
