Criterion ready for Hong Kong Cup Globetrotting Australian galloper Criterion has touched down in Hong Kong ahead of this weekend's Longines Hong Kong Cup. The five-year-old contested two races in Britain in the summer, finishing fifth behind Free Eagle in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and sixth behind Arabian Queen in the Juddmonte International at York. The son of Sebring proved his hardy nature with a winning return to action in the Grade One Caulfield Stakes before a fine second behind star mare Winx in the Cox Plate which he surpassed with a third placed finish in the Melbourne Cup off a big weight over a trip which many thought would stretch him. The entire is now dropping back to his optimum distance of 10 furlongs as he looks to improve on last year's third place in the Hong Kong Cup for David Hayes, twice champion trainer in Hong Kong in the 1990's. Hayes is no stranger to travel and that has been embraced by his son Ben and is eminently illustrated by Criterion who has, in the past 12 months, travelled from Australia to Hong Kong three times with a UK stopover in between. Hayes revealed on www.hkjc.com that "travel really builds character with some horses" perhaps in the same way that it broadens people's horizons. "I think that this is the case with this horse (Criterion). It's enhanced his career and he continues to rate better with virtually every run. "A trip does stimulate most horses. Most perform well, if not better, when you get them home and I'm always happy to travel if you've got the right horse. "He can be a hard horse to handle but he's settled down and he's a hard horse to handle at home so there's no change. His manners on the ground can be a concern, he'll bite and kick but there's no quieter ride on the track. He's fine on the track," Hayes said. Son Ben, who arrived with Criterion last week, has played his part in managing the horse's demeanour. "His temperament's improved a lot now," Hayes junior revealed. Horse and handler spent five months together mid-year at John Gosden's yard in Newmarket where Ben was already ensconced before Criterion's May arrival after his third place behind Blazing Speed in April's APQEII Cup, and that's a time which Ben recalls fondly. "Initially I was getting up early to work the horse but eventually he joined John's number one string and that was amazing to go out with horses like Golden Horn, Jack Hobbs, Western Hymn and Star Of Seville. In one string we had Derby winners from England, Ireland and Australia. "Criterion's my favourite horse now. We've spent a lot of time together ... he's got a quirky personality. He's quite an aggressive horse in his box, but I feel quite safe around him." Hayes senior's thirst for international competition is also unsurprising given that he won the 1990 Japan Cup with Better Loosen Up, which was just four months into his training career, taking over the Lindsay Park team from his renowned father Colin in August that year. "We haven't always got the cigar but they've generally performed pretty well," Hayes said of his international runners. "And we've been unlucky a few times. Eagle Falls had no luck and probably should have won the Golden Shaheen in Dubai (2010) and (Gerald) Mosse's still trying to get out on Elegant Fashion in the Cox Plate (2004)," he added.
