Guineas winner Monks Hood arrives in Hong Kong

KwaZulu-Natal-based trainer Alistair Gordon has confirmed that Monks Hood has finally arrived in Hong Kong.

“He arrived a week ago after a very long journey,” said Gordon.

Monks Hood won last year’s Dingaans and then came back to Turffontein to capture the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas over 1600m at Turffontein, beating Yulong Prince (formerly named Surcharge) by five lengths.

After that he was sold and began the long journey to Hong Kong where he will be trained by Tony Millard.

The journey takes them from quarantine in Cape Town to Mauritius where they spend three months.

From there the horses have to travel to the UK and in the case of Monk’s Hood he spent that month at Mary Slack’s yard in Newmarket. Then they make the final journey to Hong Kong.

“I was sent some pictures of him when he arrived at Newmarket in the UK and I though he was looking very good,” said Gordon. “Now it will be up to Tony Millard.” Millard also trains Northern Superstar who was known as Edict Of Nantes when he ran in South Africa. “I’m not aware of any plans to change the name of Monks Hood but it’s not impossible,” said Gordon.