Tag: 4YO Classic Series

Size Runners Dominate Market For Hong Kong Classic Cup

Trainer John Size has won the Hong Kong Classic Cup, the second leg of the 4-year-old Triple Crown, no fewer than four times and he'll saddle two of the top fancies as he looks for his first victory in the race since Sun Jewellery (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) in 2011 Sunday afternoon at Sha Tin Racecourse.

Helios Express (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) is the lone member of the 14-strong field rated in triple figures (102), has won six of his eight lifetime starts and three of his last four. Drawn neatly in gate two Sunday, the bay was impressive in defeating Class 2 rivals over a mile Jan. 7 and backed up the performance with a 1 3/4-length defeat of Helene Feeling (Ire) (Sioux Nation) and a running-on Star Mac (Aus) (Heroic Valour {Aus}) in a slowly run renewal of the Hong Kong Classic Mile four weeks back. The 1800 metres of Sunday's test is as far as he's been, and he'll need to switch off better if he is to see it out, his connections admit.

Size said: “We're trying to adapt to a distance and to a tempo, which always is an issue for the jockeys who manage the horse through the race, so it depends on the circumstances on the day and what sections they run during the race. So far, he's been okay.”

Size's second entry, Ensued (Lemon Drop Kid), will look to become the first US-bred to take the Classic Cup since Zaidan (Street Cry {Ire}) back in 2012. Placed twice from three overseas runs for James Fanshawe, the bay gelding broke his maiden on local debut over 1800 metres last October and–equally unusually–already owns two victories over the BMW Hong Kong Derby trip of 2000 metres. A horse that grinds it out, he just missed in Class 2 over the metric 10 furlongs, but tries restricted company for the first time in Hong Kong.

“He's been quite unusual the way he came into Hong Kong and won immediately at a distance, that doesn't happen too often so he's sort of stamped himself as one who has adapted to Hong Kong quite quickly,” Size said. “[Being] just a little bit one-paced is probably the chink in his armour, he just doesn't have enough acceleration. But, with that, as long as he's running in a forward position and running freely, that's okay.”

Two other American-breds are rough chances, Chancheng Glory (Mor Spirit) and Unbelievable (Justify).

Chill Chibi (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}) posted four straight wins over the course of last season and this season at Happy Valley before having the streak snapped by subsequent G3 January Cup H. hero Happy Together (Ire) (Dragon Pulse {Ire}) Dec. 20. Having missed the Classic Mile via a minor setback, he makes his Sha Tin debut Sunday.

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Helios Express Makes Light Work Of Hong Kong Classic Mile

Helios Express (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) was crunched into $1.30 (3-10) favourtism for Sunday's HK$13-million Hong Kong Classic Mile, sat a perfect trip beneath Hugh Bowman and raced away late to take the first leg of the 4-year-old series in convincing fashion Sunday afternoon at Sha Tin.

Alertly away from barrier six and carrying the number one saddlecloth signifying the highest-rated runner in the event, the John Size trainee allowed Chancheng Glory (Mor Spirit) and Helene Feeling (Ire) (Sioux Nation) do the heavy lifting and settled in the ideal spot while a fraction keen through the early exchanges. Poised to strike nearing the entrance to the straight, Helios Express eased out into the three path to deliver his challenge, gathered up Helene Feeling–who had taken over from Chancheng Glory just outside the 200 metres–and kicked home a comfortable winner. Star Mac (Aus) (Heroic Valour {Aus}), rated some 38 points inferior to the winner on 64, ran home gamely for third ahead of a troubled Speed Dragon (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).

“It was a slow-run race and he was able to adapt to a very slow tempo, which is a good thing in a racehorse,” said Size. “He was able to overcome that and still win the race. Of this generation of horses, he seems to be the quality horse amongst the ones he's competing against, and it was a very convincing win.”

Size confirmed that Helios Express would move on to the second leg of the series, the Hong Kong Classic Cup over 1800 metres Mar. 3 and believes his charge will handle the step up in trip without issue.

“There's always some concern because the circumstances of the races can change dramatically from one race to the next,” said Size. “The good horses overcome a different style of running and they win. He has to do that–he has that in front of him.”

For his part, Bowman–who now begins a five-meeting suspension–considers Helios Express an unfinished product.

“The critical side of me says I would have liked for him to settle a bit better in the run, but it was a very sedate tempo which encouraged him to travel the way he did–but that's the sign of an exceptional horse–and when I gave him room and asked him for an effort, that's exactly what we all saw. I'm excited to be riding such a magnificent individual,” Bowman said.

 

Pedigree Notes:

Helios Express was providing his sire with yet another big result in Hong Kong a week after Victor the Winner (Aus) caused an upset in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup. One of 18 winners in the jurisdiction for the stallion, Helios Express–who was victorious in a single Australian appearance for trainer Jamie Edwards at Benalla in Victoria while racing as Tex Mex (Aus)–is a third to succeed at stakes level (Senor Toba {Aus}). Helios Express is the fourth black-type winner produced by a daughter of Hinchinbrook (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).

Paris Texas passed away in September 2021 according to the Australian Stud Book, but has left behind Helios Express's unraced 3-year-old full-sister Isolation Ridge (Aus), who is in training with Lindsey Smith at Linton in Victoria.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
HONG KONG CLASSIC MILE-LR, HK$13,000,000, Sha Tin, 2-4, NH/SH4yo, 1600mT, 1:34.44, gd.
1–HELIOS EXPRESS (AUS), 126, g, 4, by Toronado (Ire)
1st Dam: Paris Texas (Aus), by Hinchinbrook (Aus)
2nd Dam: Hialeah Star (Aus), by Luskin Star (Aus)
3rd Dam: Hialeah Gold (Aus), by Sovereign Red (NZ)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Andy Yung Ming Tai; B-C Wells (WA); T-John Size; J-Hugh Bowman. Lifetime Record: 8-6-1-1, HK$16,001,660. *Formerly Tex Mex (Aus).
2–Helene Feeling (Ire), 126, g, 4, Sioux Nation–Cynthia Calhoun (Ire), by Exceed and Excel (Aus). (€15,500 Wlg '20 GOFDEC; 40,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Helene Syndicate; B-A Sherwood & P Connell; T-Danny Shum; J-Zac Purton; HK$2,730,000.
3–Star Mac (Aus), 126, g, 4, Heroic Valour (Aus)–Marma Got Style (Aus), by Wicked Style. (A$15,000 Ylg '21 MMMAR). O-Adrian Hassan; B-D Reynolds (Qld); T-David Hayes; J-Karis Teetan; HK$1,495,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, NK, 3/4. Odds: 3-10, 73-10, 45-1.
Also Ran: Speed Dragon (NZ), Beauty Crescent (Ire), Chancheng Glory, Fallon (Ire), Howdeepisyourlove (Aus), Moments In Time (Chi). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing.

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Friendless ‘Proposal’ Makes Amends in Hong Kong Classic Mile

Those who got stuck into Sunday's Hong Kong Classic Mile from a pari-mutuel standpoint very much adopted a 'what-have-you-done-for-me-lately' approach, failing to give the talented Excellent Proposal (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) the benefit of the doubt for a dismal last-out performance in Class 2 company Jan. 10. Dismissed at 22-1, a massive overlay given the promise he'd shown previously, the chestnut rallied wide beneath Blake Shinn and charged home to cause the boilover. Lucky Express (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) lasted for second from a desperately unlucky Tourbillon Diamond (Aus) (Olympic Glory {Ire}). The race was marred by an injury to the well-backed Enrich Delight (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), who took a bad step at the 1100-meter mark and was later euthanised, with multiple fractures in a fetlock, South China Morning Post reported.

Void of early speed from his high draw, Excellent Proposal raced with one or two behind through the opening stages and was forced to take some evasive action around the stricken Enrich Delight prior to the turn. Traveling deep, but with cover on the circle, he shifted out into the clear leaving the 600-metre mark and enjoyed a clean run through the lane en route to the victory. Lucky Express sat a good inside trip and weaved his way through to grab second, while Tourbillon Diamond was strung up in traffic from the 400m to the furlong grounds and flew home once clear for a luckless third.

“He has a very good temperament, he is a very quiet horse and he probably just missed the competition–he hadn't raced for three months and it looks like that is correct, because today he savaged the line, he knew what he was doing and he was there to win the race,” said trainer John Size, winning the Classic Mile for the third time in the last six years.

A winner of three of his four Australian starts for Richard and Michael Freedman, Excellent Proposal was second off a rating of 75 on local debut last season and won his first three this term before his headscratching 11th last time. That result helped push Joao Moreira onto Sky Darci (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), the 23-10 favourite in the Classic Mile, but who could do no better than sixth.

Pedigree Notes:

Excellent Proposal is the 180th worldwide stakes winner for Exceed and Excel, whose five other Hong Kong stakes winners include the now-retired dual G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint hero Mr Stunning (Aus). The winner's dam was a daughter of the Leon MacDonald-trained Group 2 winner Dilly Dally and was raced as a homebred by Godolphin to victories at Deauville and Longchamp in 2011 ahead of a listed-stakes placing at Maisons-Laffitte. Exported to Australia in 2012, she produced foals by Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Medaglia d'Oro in 2013 and 2014, respectively, was barren for 2015 and was purchased by the Victoria-based Holloway Equine for A$180,000 carrying the colt that would become Excellent Proposal at the 2016 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. Procrastination produced the Vancouver (Aus) colt Potato Pete for Fernrigg Farm in November 2017, but passed away the following month, days shy of her 10th birthday.

 

WATCH: Excellent Proposal rolls home at 22-1 in the Hong Kong Classic Mile

 

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
HONG KONG CLASSIC MILE-LR, HK$12,000,000 (£1,128,669/€1,275,325/A$1,996,071/US$1,548,035), NH/SH4yo, 1600mT, 1:33.81, gd.
1–EXCELLENT PROPOSAL (AUS), 126, g, 4, by Exceed and Excel (Aus)
1st Dam: Procrastination (GB) (SP-Fr), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Dilly Dally (Aus), by Rubiton (Aus)
3rd Dam: Faricca (Aus), by Millionaire (Ire)
1ST STAKES WIN. (A$200,0000 Ylg '18 MMGCYS). O-Kenneth Chung Kin Shu; B-Holloway Equine Pty Ltd (Vic); T-John Size; J-Blake Shinn; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: 10-7-1-0, HK$12,297,470.
2–Lucky Express (Aus), 126, g, 4, Toronado (Ire)–Il Diamante (Aus), by Testa Rossa (Aus). (A$145,000 Ylg '18 INGMAR). O-Larry Yung Chi Kin; B-C Jackson (Vic); T-John Size; J-Karis Teetan; HK$2,640,000.
3–Tourbillon Diamond (Aus), 126, g, 4, Olympic Glory (Ire)–Modave (NZ), by Montjeu (Ire). (A$7,000 Ylg '18 MMJUN). O-Shum Mak Ling, Jimmy Tang, Bennie Lau Yuk Lung & William Shum Wai Lam; B-Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd, Jungle Pocket Pty Ltd (NSW); T-Danny Shum; J-Alexis Badel; HK$1,380,000.
Margins: 3/4, NK, 3/4. Odds: 22-1, 15-2, 17-2.
Also Ran: Lucky Patch (NZ), Shadow Hero (Aus), Sky Darci (NZ), Healthy Happy (Aus), The Summit (Fr), Russian Emperor (Ire), Maximus (Ger), Beauty Joy (Aus), Celestial Power (Aus). DNF: Enrich Delight (Aus). Scratched: Tsar (GB). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing.

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Fownes Sends Out ‘Delight’-ful Duo In Classic Mile

Ten years on from his lone success in the Hong Kong Classic Mile with Lucky Nine (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), trainer Caspar Fownes starts two of the three top-rated gallopers in the first of the three legs of the 4YO Classic Series at Sha Tin Sunday afternoon.

Enrich Delight (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) will try to give his sire back-to-back winners of the Classic Mile, following on the success of Golden Sixty (Aus) last year, and has done little wrong in two Class 2 appearances over 1400 metres. A maiden winner and Group 3-placed for Anthony Freedman in Australia while racing as Chenier (Aus), the bay overcame a troubled trip to score on debut Nov. 29 and, after missing an intended start Dec. 13, finished a close, but luckless third, Jan. 10. Enrich Delight has the services of two-time Classic Mile-winning jockey Christophe Soumillon.

Sky Darci (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) is the selection of Joao Moreira and won his first three starts of this term, including a defeat of Lucky Express (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) in a Class 1 over course and distance Nov. 29 and was a latest second to the reliable Champion's Way (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) in open Group 3 company Jan. 1 after sitting a far inferior trip.

David Hayes sent out two Classic Mile winners during his previous stint in Hong Kong and tightens the girth around three runners Sunday. Shadow Hero (Aus) (Pierro {Aus}), whose sire accounted for 2019 winner Furore (NZ), was trained by Hayes to victories in the 2019 G1 Spring Champion S. and 2020 G1 Randwick Guineas, and hasn't been a true factor in two local runs after slow starts. To that end, Hayes is removing the blinkers and adding cheek pieces to the gelding, who ran on strongly to be third behind Tourbillon Diamond (Aus) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) Dec. 13. Zac Purton retains the ride.

The latter was well-tried in Australia for trainer Stuart Kendrick and closed out the 'Eric the Eel' portion of his career with a third in the G1 Australian Derby last April. His two local appearances for Danny Shum have been very promising, first storming home to be third behind Enrich Delight at 70-1 Nov. 29 before weaving through heavy traffic to be late on the scene last time.

Lucky Express has been in the top three in six of his eight Hong Kong starts and was a last-out third off a three-wide, no-cover trip over track and distance Jan. 1. He has place claims at rough odds.

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