Lazzat Eyes Hong Kong Mile Following Narrow Golden Eagle Defeat

Jerome Reynier’s French sensation Lazzat could be bound for the Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin next month after a hard-fought runner-up finish in Australia’s Golden Eagle over the weekend. The three-year-old, who secured his first Group One victory in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville in August, battled valiantly at Rosehill but was caught in the final strides by William Haggas-trained Lake Forest.

Despite a slow start and the need to set the pace, Lazzat held on to claim a strong second, earning over £1 million in prize money. Reynier reflected, "He faced several challenges—didn’t break well and had to lead due to lack of pace, getting challenged too early. Under different circumstances, it might have been a different result, but I’m very proud of his performance."

With Lazzat invited to the Hong Kong Mile, Reynier is open to the idea of heading to Sha Tin if the colt recovers well. "A mile at Sha Tin is nearly identical to the distance he just ran in Sydney, so I think he’ll handle it well," Reynier noted.