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Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}), the 2023 GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint hero who was set to become the first American representative at the Longines Hong Kong International Races in seven years, has been officially ruled out of Sunday’s G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint with a continuing blood abnormality, according to a release issued by the Hong Kong Jockey Club early Thursday morning (Hong Kong time).
Recent winner of the GII Kennedy Road Stakes over the Woodbine Tapeta track, the Larry Rivelli-trained Nobals arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday, Dec. 1, but his participation in the Sprint was cast into doubt when bloodwork drawn soon after his arrival showed evidence of the presence of an infection. At the time, Hong Kong Jockey Club officials indicated that his condition would be monitored and an update issued at the appropriate time. Nobals was among the field of 14 entered for Sunday’s Sprint when the racecard was posted at the HKJC website Thursday morning, but a release announced his withdrawal around 10:20 a.m. local time Thursday.
The draw for the Hong Kong International Races was to begin at 11 a.m. HKT Thursday in the parade ring at Sha Tin Racecourse. With Nobals’s defection, Flying Ace (NZ) (Swiss Ace {Aus}) now draws into the field, which is led by the prohibitive favorite Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}).