Several stars to miss Hong Kong races

Several of the world's top horses have been withdrawn from the upcoming Hong Kong International Races. The defections include recent Breeders' Cup winners Regally Ready and Perfect Shirl; Dubai World Cup victor Victoire Pisa; Shareta, runner-up in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe; and Snow Fairy, winner of last year's Hong Kong Cup and recent victor in the QE II Commemorative Cup in Japan. Also out is Excelebration, who chased Frankel home in the QE II on Champions Day at Ascot. Snow Fairy was withdrawn after suffering an injury while training at the Sha Tin oval in the New Territories and will be returned to England for treatment. The others were eliminated through a variety of training and ownership decisions. "They are all tough horses to lose," Hong Kong Jockey Club executive director of racing Bill Nader told the South China Morning Post. "Excelebration was a very hard pill to swallow. Having him here was going to be something special and now to lose Snow Fairy as well really hurts. But we have to live with the fact that these things happen with race horses." While all four of the Dec. 11 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International races retain plenty of foreign punch, the defections brighten the chances of the local horses significantly.