It’s been a case of ‘steady as she goes’ for Embroidery this week but don’t let the appearance of a soft approach fool you: it’s exactly the way the Classic-winning filly’s sophomore trainer Kazutomo Mori intended it to be as he prepares his stable star for the G1 Hong Kong Mile.
Monday through Wednesday, the daughter of Admire Mars – the 2019 winner – was seen at no more than a shuffling canter, her knees barely lifting so slow was her gait. Then came Thursday and a sweet breeze on the turf track, followed by downtime Friday: trotting in the stable ring and a walk down the track to check out the parade ring.
Embroidery’s wins in the G1 Oka Sho and the G1 Shuka Sho, the first and last legs of the Fillies Triple Crown, make her Japan’s standout three-year-old filly this season. But no filly of her age has ever won a Hong Kong Mile. The last to try was the G1 1,000 Guineas heroine Mother Earth, fourth behind Golden Sixty in 2021.
Mori is not put off by that fact, though, and told Idol Horse that he has “high hopes” of success. The handler said he sees Sunday’s race against the likes of last year’s winner Voyage Bubble and Embroidery’s seasoned compatriot Soul Rush as “a real challenge against tough competition on a difficult stage, but I believe she has the power to overcome that.”
Embroidery’s Shuka Sho win under Sunday’s rider Christophe Lemaire was her latest effort and came over 2000m at Kyoto, but Mori seems sure that right now a mile is her optimum.
“Her speed is her weapon and the mile allows her to use that asset,” he said. “I believe this stage—and this distance—is where she can truly show her strength.
“For the 2000-metre race, we trained her a little bit softly, but this time we’ve been able to train her more intensively than that to get her fully ready.”
That intense work was done at home before Embroidery boarded her Hong Kong-bound flight. She arrived already tuned, and being a filly at the end of her Classic season, with only four runs on the board this year, her handler has been aware of the need to look after her.
“Immediately after arriving, she seemed a bit restless being in a new environment for the first time,” he said. “However, she adapted quickly, has been eating well, and her preparations have gone smoothly leading up to this point.
“We had her fully prepared back in Japan, so the focus here was on tuning her mental state. We worked her on the turf course, letting her finish without pushing too hard so she stayed happy. I think it was a good workout.”
Mori is coming to the end of a breakout campaign, his second season since he commenced training, but he is no stranger to preparing Group 1 winners at Sha Tin: he was assistant to the brilliant Noriyuki Hori when that stable’s stars Maurice, Satono Crown and Neorealism were successful at the track.
After 20 years with Hori, his master’s attention to detail seems to have rubbed off.
“The team had simulated various scenarios for this trip,” he said, “but everything has gone according to plan without any trouble within the scope of what I could anticipate. I feel we’ve managed to get her here in great condition.
“Since I am already familiar with the facilities, the track conditions, and the climate, it was easy for me to visualize the process.”
And he does not envisage the Sha Tin track posing any problems for Embroidery.
“The condition of the turf is excellent, and she moved well on it,” he added. “It’s a one-turn course, and I believe this is a stage where she can fully demonstrate her ability.” ∎
