Christophe Lemaire believes Masquerade Ball, his mount in Sunday’s (26 April) HK$30 million (approx. £2.8m) G1 FWD QEII Cup (1m2f/2000m) at Sha Tin, has the potential to rank among the greats.
Lemaire, who has partnered legends like Almond Eye and Equinox in his time riding in Japan, retains the utmost faith in the G1 Tenno Sho Autumn (2000m) winner as he makes his first run since finishing an agonising runner-up in the G1 Japan Cup (2400m) in November.
The jockey said: “He’s still a young horse. Last year, in the first Classics, he ran well, but maybe was not mature enough to win.
“From the autumn, he showed that he improved and he was tougher.
“I think he still has some improvement to come this year. When you consider his performances last year and that he can improve as a four-year-old, we can say he has the potential to be one of the greats in Japanese racing.”
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It is a bold statement from the rider, who has ridden Masquerade Ball in only his last two races.
The colt, who is trained by leading handler Takahisa Tezuka, has clearly made an outstanding impression and has a range of top attributes.
“I got a very good feeling in the Tenno Sho, especially in the last two furlongs where he used a powerful stride to win the race,” Lemaire said.
“The pace was slow and I had to put him under a little pressure, so that’s why I was very confident in the Japan Cup over a mile and a half, which I think is his best trip. In the Tenno Sho, he showed a lot of class and nice acceleration.
“You’re always disappointed to be beaten by a short margin in a race like the Japan Cup, but in the meantime, I was so proud of him and happy with the way he ran.
“He fought hard with the world’s best horse in Calandagan, and he has won the (Dubai) Sheema Classic (G1, 2400m) since. His form is amazing.”
Sunday’s race will represent a new test for Masquerade Ball, with global champion Romantic Warrior seeking a fourth victory in a deep running of the feature event on FWD Champions Day.
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However, Lemaire believes his horse is well equipped to rise to the challenge.
“Now he is a four-year-old, this maturity might give him an extra gear,” he said. “I trust the trainer and his staff to bring the horse to close to his best for this run.
“I think the mile-and-a-quarter distance will be perfect for his first run this year.
“It will be a tough task to beat a horse like Romantic Warrior running on his home ground. Racing is all about pace and it will depend on what happens.
“My horse has the stamina, as we saw in the Japan Cup, so if the pace is strong I think it will help.”
It will be the first time Masquerade Ball will race on a right-handed track since finishing third in last year’s G1 Satsuki Sho (2000m) at Nakayama, and he has shown a tendency to hang under pressure, but Lemaire is not overly concerned about the race conditions.
He added: “Going right-handed at Sha Tin is a little question mark because he tends to push on the left side in his races.
“I hope it won’t affect his performance, but he’s used to training on the right-hand side in Japan.
“The trainer did not tell me he had any concerns and he was okay when he finished third in the Satsuki Sho.”
FWD Champions Day takes place on Sunday 26 April at Sha Tin and features the HK$24 million (approx. £2.3m) G1 FWD Champions Mile (1 mile/1600m) and HK$24 million (approx. £2.3m) G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize alongside the G1 FWD QEII Cup.
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Liberty Nicholson-Hulse