Tag: Sha Tin

Derby Winners Throw Down In Hong Kong Gold Cup

Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) and Furore (NZ) (Pierro {Aus}), winners of the BMW Hong Kong Derby in 2020 and 2019, respectively, treated racing fans to an epic final-furlong battle in Sunday's G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup, with the undisputed current king of the hill in the jurisdiction just clawing his way past Furore to take his current winning streak to 13 and his overall record to a spectacular 16 from 17. Golden Sixty is now within four victories of the record currently held by the legendary Silent Witness (Aus) (El Moxie).

The $1.35 (35-100) favourite was taken back to settle in the latter part of the field and switched off nicely for Vincent Ho, as Time Warp (GB) (Archipenko) set a very slow early tempo in advance of Playa del Puente (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}), who nearly upset last year's Derby at 289-1. Columbus County (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) rolled forward to try to inject some pace mid-race, as Golden Sixty and Furore eyeballed one another back in the field, the dynamics squarely working against them. The opening 1200 metres were posted in a dawdling 1:15.09, better than a full second outside of standard, and Ho got to work on Golden Sixty, peeling him out and around horses at the 600 metres Meanwhile, Joao Moreira was happy to ride Furore for luck and stuck to the fence. As Golden Sixty wound up on the grandstand side, he looked like he was going to run away, easily claiming defending champion Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) with a furlong and a half to go while wanting to shift inward. But Moreira found a split in upper stretch, shot Furore through and battled with everything he had, only to be on the short end of the bobber. Golden Sixty's final half-mile was timed in :44.48, fractionally faster than Furore's :44.57, albeit with a far inferior trip around the second turn.

“I was quite confident that I would stay ahead of them but we fought hard–it wasn't easy, it was a bit unexpected to be that close,” Ho admitted. “I was just worried about the horse to the inside of him because Golden Sixty laid in a bit, he would have won easier if he didn't do that. Once he went past Exultant he wanted to lay in–it made it difficult for me but it's still a victory.”

With foreign targets off the table, the top two are expected to face a rematch in the G1 FWD QE II Cup over the same course and distance Apr. 25. From there, Golden Sixty could go for a sweep of the 'Triple Crown' in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup (2400m), for which he stands to collect an HK$10-million bonus if successful.

 

WATCH: Golden Sixty outgames Furore in the Hong Kong Gold Cup

 

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
CITI HONG KONG GOLD CUP-G1, HK$12,000,000 (£1,107,985/€1,281,174/A$1,994,280/US$1,547,816), 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:00.25, gd.
1–GOLDEN SIXTY (AUS), 126, g, 5, by Medaglia d'Oro
1st Dam: Gaudeamus (GSW-Ire, $179,846), by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Leo's Lucky Lady, by Seattle Slew
3rd Dam: Konafa, by Damascus
(A$120,000 Ylg '17 MMGCYS; NZ$300,000 2yo '18 NZBRTR). O-Stanley Chan Ka Leung; B-Asco International Pty Ltd (Qld); T-Francis Lui; J-Vincent Ho; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 4yo-HK, 17-16-0-0, HK$66,525,600. *1/2 to Igitur (Aus) (Helmet {Aus}), SP-Aus. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Furore (NZ), 126, g, 6, Pierro (Aus)–Stormy Choice (Aus), by Redoute's Choice (Aus). (NZ$210,000 Ylg '16 NZBJAN). O-Lee Sheung Chau; B-G S A Bloodstock Pty Ltd; T-Tony Cruz; J-Joao Moreira; HK$2,640,000.
3–Exultant (Ire), 126, g, 7, Teofilo (Ire)–Contrary (Ire), by Mark of Esteem (Ire). O-Eddie Wong Ming Chak & Wong Leung Sau Hing; B-Ballygallon Stud; T-Tony Cruz; J-Zac Purton; HK$1,200,000.
Margins: SHD, 1, 1. Odds: 35-100, 6-1, 22-5.
Also Ran: Glorious Dragon (Ire), Time Warp (GB), Columbus County (NZ), Playa del Puente (Ire). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.

Waikuku Back To Best In QSJC…

For the first time in four years, a horse not named Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}) has taken out the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup.

Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), an unlucky runner-up to Furore in the 2019 Derby and winner of last year's G1 Stewards' Cup (1600m), was given a perfect ride by Joao Moreira, swooped in front with about a furlong to race and came away to an easy score over a game Southern Legend (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}). The victory was the 1300th in Hong Kong for trainer John Size, whose total is exceeded by only the retired John Moore (1735) and Tony Cruz (1329).

“It probably means I've been here a long time and I'm doing my job well,” the understated Size said, reflecting on his move from Sydney to Hong Kong two decades ago. “Every achievement along the way in your career is meaningful. I couldn't have imagined that in my wildest dreams. Obviously, it's been a good move–very good for my career–and I hope is that I can do a good job for customers.”

 

WATCH: Waikuku back to winning ways in Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup

 

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
QUEEN'S SILVER JUBILEE CUP-G1, HK$12,000,000 (£1,107,985/€1,281,174/A$1,994,280/US$1,547,816), 3yo/up, 1400mT, 1:20.78, gd.
1–WAIKUKU (IRE), 126, g, 6, by Harbour Watch (Ire)
1st Dam: London Plane (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Aunt Julia (GB), by In The Wings (GB)
3rd Dam: Original (GB), by Caerleon
(€33,000 Ylg '16 TISEP). O-Jocelyn Siu Yang Hin Ting; B-Riversfield Stud; T-John Size; J-Joao Moreira; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: 20-8-4-2, HK$35,843,680. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Southern Legend (Aus), 126, g, 8, Not A Single Doubt (Aus)–Donna's Appeal (Aus), by Carnegie (Ire). (A$280,000 Ylg '14 INGEAS). O-Boniface Ho Ka Kui; B-Corumbene Stud (NSW); T-Caspar Fownes; J-Karis Teetan; HK$2,640,000.
3–Mighty Giant (NZ), 126, g, 5, Power (GB)–Wanderov (NZ), by Ustinov (Aus). O-Mr & Mrs Li Ming On; B-; T-Ricky Yiu; J-Neil Callan; HK$1,200,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, NO. Odds: 11-10, 29-10, 12-1.
Also Ran: More Than This (GB), Ka Ying Star (GB), Not Usual Talent (NZ), Wishful Thinker (Aus), Buddies (Aus), Champion's Way (Aus). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.

Classic Cup Thievery…

When last seen finishing seventh to Excellent Proposal (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the Hong Kong Classic Mile four weeks ago, Happy Healthy (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}) endured a wide passage from the riverside draw and never truly reached contention. With Alexis Badel inheriting the ride when Vincent Ho opted for hampered Classic Mile third Tourbillon Diamond (Aus) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), Happy Healthy was allowed a soft lead and never relinquished it en route to a 21-1 boilover.

Drawn gate eight this time, the former Peter and Paul Snowden trainee when raced as Leviathan hopped out best of all and controlled the pace through an opening 1000-metre split of 1:00.40. Still allowed to amble along on the circle, he put away pace-pressing Lucky Patch (NZ) (El Roca {Aus}) in upper stretch and had enough in the locker to hold off the fast-finishing outsider Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), winner for Aidan O'Brien of last year's G3 Hampton Court S. at Royal Ascot, who raced with first-time blinkers Sunday. Shadow Hero (Aus) (Pierro {Aus}) ran an improved race in third. Excellent Proposal was done no favours by the lack of pace and came from well back to be a sneaky-good fourth, his final 400m of :45.57 the second-fastest in the race.

“I was just happy to let my horse go because he's obviously a very big horse and I knew he was going to stay on well,” said Badel. “He was also very relaxed in front. It allowed him to take a very big breath before the effort and then he kept on well.”

Pedigree Notes:

Healthy Happy is the 18th black-type winner for Widden Stud's Zoustar, whose other stakes winner outside of Australia is the talented Singapore galloper Top Knight (Aus). He is the only winner to date from his multiple Australian Group 3-placed dam, a daughter of SW/GSP Dashing Granada and a half-sister to MSW & GSP Celebrity Girl (Aus) (Starcraft {NZ}), herself the dam of 2020 G2 Schweppes Thousand Guineas Prelude winner and G1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas third Instant Celebrity (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}).

The dam of the 2-year-old colt Publicist (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}), Lady Lakshmi produced a full-sister to the latter after being led out unsold on a bid of A$300,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale. She dropped a Merchant Navy (Aus) colt in 2020 and is back in foal to Russian Revolution (Aus) on a late November cover.

 

WATCH: Healthy Happy leads them a merry chase in the Hong Kong Classic Cup

 

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
HONG KONG CLASSIC CUP-LR, HK$12,000,000 (£1,107,985/€1,281,174/A$1,994,280/US$1,547,816), NH/SH4yo, 1800mT, 1:47.21, gd.
1–HEALTHY HAPPY (AUS), 126, g, 4, by Zoustar (Aus)
1st Dam: Lady Lakshmi (Aus) (MGSP-Aus, $288,541), by Lonhro (Aus)
2nd Dam: Dashing Granada (Aus), by Keltrice (Aus)
3rd Dam: Jovan (NZ), by Nassipour
1ST STAKES WIN. (A$375,000 Ylg '18 MMGCYS). O-Sin Tung Hing, Sin Yuk Lok & Sin Yuk San; B-Lachlan River Bloodstock (Vic); T-Frankie Lor; J-Alexis Badel; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: 10-5-2-1, HK$10,749,270. *Formerly Leviathan (Aus).
2–Russian Emperor (Ire), 126, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Atlantic Jewel (Aus), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). O-Mike Cheung Shun Ching; B-Coolmore, Lauri Macri & Partners; T-Douglas Whyte; J-Keith Yeung; HK$2,640,000.
3–Shadow Hero (Aus), 126, g, 4, Pierro (Aus)–Sookie (Aus), by Casino Prince (Aus). (A$260,000 Ylg '18 INGFEB). O-Edmond Lee Man Bun; B-Lightning Thoroughbreds, Mrs D Kolivos (NSW); T-David Hayes; J-Zac Purton; HK$1,200,000.
Margins: NK, NO, HF. Odds: 21-1, 79-1, 39-5.
Also Ran: Excellent Proposal (Aus), Tourbillon Diamond (Aus), Packing Waltham (Fr), Sky Darci (NZ), Lucky Express (Aus), Sea of Life (Aus), Arthur's Kingdom (Ire), Delightful Laos (Ire), Lucky Patch (NZ), Conqueror (Aus), Smiling Time (SAf). Scratched: Maximus (Ger). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing.

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American Pharoah Represented By First Hong Kong Starter

'TDN Rising Star' Congratulation (American Pharoah), previously raced in Europe as Monarch of Egypt, will become his sire's first runner in Hong Kong when he steps out in Sunday's Class 1 Chinese New Year Cup H. over 1400 metres at Sha Tin Racecourse.

Bred in Kentucky by Ran Jan Racing Inc. and trained by Aidan O'Brien for Peter Brant, Michael Tabor, Sue Magnier and Derrick Smith, the $750,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase won on Naas debut in April 2019 to become American Pharoah's first winner before finishing runner-up to Siskin (First Defence) in the G2 Railway S. and in the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. (video).

Beaten just over five lengths behind Siskin in last year's COVID-delayed G1 Irish 2000 Guineas June 12, the bay returned on six days' rest to be second in the G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot (video) and makes his first appearance since finishing fifth in the G3 Ballysax S. over the Dundalk all-weather last June.

Now conditioned by Douglas Whyte, Congratulation (no 's') has trialled three times and has been the subject of positive reports. His most recent jump-out came over the Sha Tin dirt track Feb. 2 (video), when he ran on nicely from midfield to be second to the talented California Rad (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who he meets again Sunday.

 

 

Congratulation debuts off a lofty local rating of 89 in the 110-85 event and will carry 113 pounds, some 20 pounds fewer than top-weighted MGSP Fat Turtle (Aus) (Smart Missile {Aus}). Keith Yeung rides from gate seven in a competitive field of nine.

“He's settled in well and he's a lovely horse–he's obviously thrown in the deep end for his first run, but having said that, he's had a very good grounding with three trials leading in to this and he's progressively improved with every trial,” Whyte told the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Declan Schuster.

He continued, “I'm going in hopeful that he'll run well, the way that he has progressively increased his competitiveness at the trials shows to me that he's at the right frame both mentally and physically to run a race–it's a small field, it's a competitive field but he's got the quality behind him. He's taken time to adjust– he's been running on tracks with a bit of give in them and he's hit the tracks here and it's just taken time for him to adjust to the firmer tracks, which he has done now. He's on the right track–I have no doubt that he is going to show his true ability going forward and it's his first run, but he has a lovely galloping weight–he's certainly in there with a chance.”

Congratulation is a son of Up (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a dual winner at Group level in Ireland and second in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in 2012, and a half-sister to G1SW Dutch Art (GB) (Medicean {GB}).

The Chinese New Year Cup goes as race eight on an 11-race program Sunday, with post time set for 4.05pm local time (8.05am GMT).

The post American Pharoah Represented By First Hong Kong Starter appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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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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At Long Last, Hot King Prawn Gets His Group 1

Entering Sunday's G1 Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin, the likeable Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}) had won half of his 22 career starts and had been out of the top three on just four occasions. His record at Group 1 level left more to be desired, as he had been blanked from seven previous tries, but the John Size trainee righted that wrong with a convincing success Sunday.

Drawn gate two for Joao Moreira, Hot King Prawn was driven along early and found himself in the perfect spot from third as Voyage Warrior (Aus) (Declaration of War) set a decent pace from Computer Patch (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}). Moreira peeled Hot King Prawn three deep outside of the dueling front-runners at the 400m mark, reeled in Voyage Warrior with a little less than a furlong to travel and came away to a facile success. Regency Legend (NZ) (Pins {Aus}), first-up for better than 400 days and who displayed some obstreperous parade ring behavior, flashed home up the fence to take a photo for second from Big Party (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}).

 

WATCH: The popular Hot King Prawn finally climbs the hill in the Centenary Sprint Cup

 

Pedigree Notes:

A half-brother to multiple Australian Group 3 winner Siren's Fury, Hot King Prawn is the first top-level scorer for Twin Hill Stud's Denman and is the 26th GI/G1SW produced by a daughter of the late Unbridled's Song. Breeder Torryburn Stud consigns Hot King Prawn's yearling full-brother as lot 561 to next month's Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, while Hot King Prawn's half-sister Storm Siren (Aus) (Excites {Aus}) is the dam of lot 347, a Widden Stud-consigned yearling from the first Southern Hemisphere crop of Coolmore's Churchill (Ire).

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
CENTENARY SPRINT CUP-G1, HK$12,000,000 (£1,128,669/€1,275,325/A$1,996,071/US$1,548,035), 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.01, gd.
1–HOT KING PRAWN (AUS), 126, g, 6, by Denman (Aus)
1st Dam: De Chorus (Aus), by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: Val de Grace (Aus), by Centaine (Aus)
3rd Dam: Renasans (NZ), by Ashabit (GB)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (A$90,000 Ylg '16 INGFEB). O-Lau Sak Hong; B-Torryburn Stud (NSW); T-John Size; J-Joao Moreira; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: 23-12-5-2, HK$34,087,300. *1/2 to Siren's Fury (Aus) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), MGSW-Aus, $379,420. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: D+.
2–Regency Legend (NZ), 126, g, 5, Pins (Aus)–Sparkling (NZ), by O'Reilly (NZ). (NZ$50,000 Ylg '17 NZBJAN). O-Wong Shun Yuen; B-Waikato Stud Ltd; T-Danny Shum; J-Antoine Hamelin; HK$2,640,000.
3–Big Party (Aus), 126, g, 6, Exceed and Excel (Aus)–De Groove (Aus), by Dehere. (A$420,000 Ylg '17 INGEAS). O-Ryan Wong Man Yeung & Roland Wong Ka Yeung; B-G S A Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Vic); T-Frankie Lor; J-Karis Teetan; HK$1,200,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, NO, NK. Odds: 11-10, 27-1, 40-1.
Also Ran: Voyage Warrior (Aus), Computer Patch (Aus), Fat Turtle (Aus), Buddies (Aus), Wishful Thinker (Aus), Stronger (Aus), Jolly Banner (Aus), Amazing Star (NZ). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.

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