Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint Trackwork Update.

American sprinter Battle Won earned a glowing report from jockey Kieren Fallon who rode the horse for the time this morning.

'He felt great,' Fallon enthused after Battle Won galloped on the all-weather track, covering the last 400m in 26.4 sec, 'and what I really liked was the way he pulled up. Even though he had worked he had a little buck as we eased down. I´m very happy to be riding him.'

'I never moved on him. I just let him breeze along and he really stretched out well. He´s a serious horse,' he said.

Australian sprinter Yell was clearly the fastest on the track this morning completing the last 400m of his gallop on the course proper in a sizzling 21.3 sec.

'He needed that just to clean him up,´ said trainer John Hawkes, 'he was lovely and balanced in his work, head down, fluent and focused. He looks terrific and everything seems to be in order.'

Hawkes acknowledges that the unbeaten, defending champion Silent Witness poses a huge obstacle but is not afraid to take him on. 'You can never let one horse worry you. He´s obviously a great sprinter but they can all have a bad day or just be 10 per cent off their game and then you never know what might happen,' he said.

Trainer Clive Brittain had his first opportunity to see his Hong Kong Sprint runner Var in action this morning.

´I am thrilled with Var,' he reported of his American import. 'He is very settled, which is a relief as I was worried before we came how he would cope coming back to track training.'

Var has been a revelation since joining Brittain from the USA, highlighted by his win in October of the Gr.1 Prix de l´Abbaye.

'We were very lucky to get a made horse, he has loved the variety that we can give him in his training regime at home. The relaxed atmosphere of our yard has helped, I think. He has coped remarkably returning to this sort of environment. His win in the Abbaye was very impressive, the time he clocked was 55 seconds from a bad draw,' Brittain added.

Another of Britain´s four Hong Kong Sprint challengers The Tatling has yet to be sighted on the track at Sha Tin but his trainer Milton Bradley was on hand to report his gelding in very good shape.

'He did a lot of work before he came so he´s just been in the trotting ring since he arrived. He does three quarters of an hour in the morning and then comes out and walks for half an hour again in the afternoon.

'He flew very well. His temperature was perfect when he landed but the next morning it was 104. Luckily within twelve hours it was down to 102 and within 24 hours it was back to normal. The Jockey Club vets took blood and reported back to me that it was spot on this morning.

'On Friday he will sprint sharply over four hundred meters and that is it. Ryan Moore rides him and he is a jockey I think a lot of, I do believe he will Champion Jockey in England one day.'

The Tatling was seventh here last year. He missed the break and when he started to make progress the door shut on him. We are very hopeful he can go a lot closer than last year here.'

Top Macau sprinter Natural Blitz who has won ten of his fourteen starts since arriving from Australia, worked up the turf straight this morning under John Didham. He clocked a time over the last four hundred meters of 23.2 sec.

Sunningdale who beat likely CXHK Mile favourite Durandal in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (Gr.1-1200m) this spring was given an easy canter for one lap under exercise rider Takaeshi Setoguchi.

'He is eating up better than he is in Japan,' said a happy Setoguchi, 'his condition suggests he is ready for the race. Jockey Yuichi Fukunaga gives him a piece of fast work in the stretch tomorrow.'

Calstone Light O, track-record holder for 1000m at Niigata, cantered on the dirt course. Trainer Hiroyuki Oneda commented: 'He sometimes hangs out, so I prefer the inside draw. But if he gets a smooth start, the draw will not matter.'

Osterhase, from Ireland, breezed down the turf in 25.6 sec leaving connections satisfied, while Pivotal Point, out to improve on a very poor British record in this race ? no British runner has placed in five attempts - pleased trainer Peter Makin with an easy all-weather canter.

'He travelled out like a old pro and has not left an oat since he has been here,' Makin said. 'I think he is still improving; Pivotal´s progeny do. His last run was his best when he beat some really good horses by three lengths or more in the Diadem Stakes (Gr.2-1200m) at Ascot last time. The strong pace will suit. He loves to have something to aim at and I am not worried about the opposition, apart, perhaps, from Silent Witness and Calstone Light O.

Makin, a modest man, who never usually shouts from the rooftops, is genuinely bullish about his horse: 'We´ll do a bit with him on Friday but nothing very much - just a blow out as he is perfectly fit. I think he will run seriously well.'