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De Kock eyes Sha Tin success

Image: Mike de Kock: Happy with draw

Mike de Kock, who has done so well in Hong Kong with Ballydoyle cast-offs, will be looking to repeat the trick in the QE II Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday.

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Mike de Kock, who has done so well in Hong Kong with Ballydoyle cast-offs, will be looking to repeat the trick in the QE II Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday. The South African handler fields Viscount Nelson in the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup as the former Aidan O'Brien inmate makes his sixth start for new connections. Viscount Nelson won one of five starts in Dubai for De Kock, and was last seen finishing second to African Story in the Godolphin Mile on World Cup night. The son of Giant's Causeway has been drawn in stall four for the 13-runner race and De Kock is also looking forward to returning to turf after competing on Tapeta. He said: "I am happy with the draw. There doesn't appear to be much pace in the race and so we shall try to sit a little closer than he was on World Cup night. He's in great order." Treasure Beach represents O'Brien in the 10-furlong heat after finishing a creditable fourth in the Dubai Sheema Classic on his last start. The Galileo colt won last year's Irish Derby and the Grade One Secretariat Stakes at Arlington but he will start widest of all on Sunday after drawing stall 13. "You draw what you draw," said O'Brien's representative, James Kinane. "Aidan will decide what the horse does from there." Jamie Spencer will take the mount on Treasure Beach while Ryan Moore jets out to partner French raider Chinchon who starts on the opposite side of the field in stall one. The seven-year-old won a Group Three at Saint Cloud on his return and finished fourth in this race in 2009. "One is not what I'd have chosen because we like to wait with him, but it's better than 13!" said trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias. Hong Kong Derby winner Fay Fay spearheads local hopes but he will start from stall 12 while that day's third Sweet Orange fared better in stall 2. British punters will find another familiar runner in Collection who was a Royal Ascot winner for William Haggas back in 2008 before being sold to race in Hong Kong the following year. Zaidan, fourth to Fay Fay in the Derby, is one of two runners for John Moore along with Irian while Rulership represents Japanese interests.

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