The Hong Kong Jockey Club received almost 250 entries from around the world for just 56 available spots, with grey Stradbroke winner Linton the only representative from Australia. Source: News Limited
AUSTRALIA will be represented by just one horse at next month's Hong Kong International meeting after Sydney sprinter Aeronautical was denied an invite.
While Stradbroke winner Linton will be in action at the lucrative December 8 meeting at Sha Tin, Aeronautical's trainer Lionel Cohen will be forced to watch from afar.
The Rosehill-based Cohen said if Aeronautical had won The Shorts at Randwick - and not been beaten in a photo finish by Sessions - his chances of heading to Honkers for the Group 1 International Sprint (1200m) would have improved.
But even if he had gained a start, it was debatable if Aeronautical would have troubled some of the best sprinters on the planet given his career record of three wins from 23 starts.
Cohen, however, said Aeronautical would have more than held his own. He nearly caused a Newmarket boilover at $81 in the autumn.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club received nearly 250 entries from around the world for just 56 available spots.
"He's a three-time winner, but he's had a lot more winning runs than that,'' Cohen said.
"When he ran in the Newmarket I was confident that day. And I was extremely confident going into The Shorts, only to be beaten by a horse who had the inside run.
"If you take a line through Sessions, Moment Of Change and Shamexpress, then my horse comes into contention against these (top) sprinters.''
Cohen will now look to Rosehill on Saturday week for the Starlight Stakes (1100m), a $100,000 race which has a maximum 59kg topweight.
"I'm keen to give him a trial and a run, and maybe there'll be some higher-rated horses nominated that will bring his weight down,'' Cohen said.
Hong Kong officials would be disappointed with the lack of Aussie nominations.
Buffering is one horse who would have really troubled the locals over 1200m, only for the rejuvenated sprinter to race in Perth this weekend for big money and then be spelled.
Trainer Rob Heathcote has already indicated a trip to the Hong Kong meeting in 12 months is a very real option.
Cohen flirted with the idea of the Group 1 Railway Stakes sprint in New Zealand - the Kiwi dash won by Aussies Gold Trail and Atomic Force in recent years - but will likely save Aeronautical for the revamped Sydney autumn, including the $2.5 million TJ Smith Stakes.
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