Cirrus Des Aigles, who is trying to make it fourth time lucky in the Hong Kong Cup, has pleased trainer Corine Barande-Barbe with his build-up to the race.

With those three defeats and injury on the eve of last year’s race, Barande-Barbe could be forgiven for thinking Hong Kong was not a lucky place for the world’s top-rated racehorse of 2012.
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But after watching Christophe Soumillon steer the seven-year-old for a circuit of the turf track at Sha Tin, she feels this could finally be his year.

“I know he has never won here, and he has his own ways, but I think he has been a little unfortunate,” Barande-Barbe said.

“Every time previously something has gone wrong but don’t be fooled because I really believe he loves it here.

“Christophe said the pleasing thing was that just before breaking into his work the horse suddenly wanted to go, he didn’t have to ask him.”

Soumillon believes Longchamp and soft ground are the optimum circumstances for Cirrus Des Aigles to be seen at his best.

But Barande-Barbe has few concerns that the terrain on Sunday will be the exact opposite.

“The ground is always quick here but that is not an issue, he handles the track and the ground,” she said.

Cirrus Des Aigles perplexed his legion of admirers when he took several races to recapture his sparkle this year.

It was not until late in the northern summer he won the Group Three Prix La Coupe at Maissons-Laffitte which preceded his win in the Group Two Prix Dollar and his second to Farhh in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

“As he’s got older he’s needed more racing to come back to full fitness which was illustrated in his campaign this season,” Barande-Barbe said.

“He’s got his own ways, but he is giving me the signs I was hoping to see.”