tony millard | Horse Racing Free Tips

Panfield Ascends To New Heights in Champions & Chater Cup

Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was a well-backed third in the 2018 BMW Hong Kong Derby before winning the G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup H. and finishing runner-up in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup. Three years on, South American import Panfield (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky), who racked up a trio of top-level successes on home soil prior to his sale to Hong Kong, outran odds of 25-1 to complete the tierce in this year's Derby and was only fifth to Butterfield (Brz) (Setembro Chove {Brz}) in the Queen Mother, but bounced back to take Sunday's last of 12 Group 1s on the local calendar, besting Columbus County (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) by a cosy half-length. Exultant, winner of this even in 2019 and 2020, settled for third.

The third-roughest chance in a field of seven, Panfield bounced well and settled in the one-by-one position, outside of Glorious Dragon (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and on the back of Exultant as Time Warp (GB) (Archipenko) led at a walking pace passing halfway. Ridden quietly into the final three furlongs by Karis Teetan, Panfield came three deep into the lane, went by Exultant with a bit less than 300 metres to travel and dug deep as the Joao Moreira-ridden Columbus County took a run at him late. It was a first Group 1 winner for trainer Tony Millard since the outstanding Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (Pins {Aus}) took out the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup in 2013.

“At the 700 [-metre mark], I knew this horse would go right through the line because he literally dropped down a gear and started to motor home,” Teetan said. “[But] you know when Joao comes next to you in a race, you know you've got a hard battle. In those big ones, he's come next to me a few times and he's got the better of me and I was like 'C'mon, Joao, not today,' and it pays off.”

Panfield is the first Hong Kong stakes winner for his Ashford Stud-based stallion, whose only other locally based runner Hongkong Great (Chi), also a three-time Group 1 winner in Chile, recently set a new track record for the extended mile on dirt and may target important main-track races overseas.

WATCH: Panfield outlasts Columbus County in the Champions & Chater

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
STANDARD CHARTERED CHAMPIONS & CHATER CUP-G1, HK$12,000,000 (£1,093,684/€1,267,086/A$1,991,998/US$1,545,829), Sha Tin, 5-23, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:25.25, gd/fm.
1–PANFIELD (CHI), 126, c, 4, by Lookin At Lucky
1st Dam: Esterina (Arg), by Orpen
2nd Dam: Escoradita (Arg), by Johnny's Prospect
3rd Dam: Escorada, by Mari's Book
O-Yue Yin Hing; B-Agricola Taomina Ltda; T-Tony Millard;
J-Karis Teetan; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Chi,
12-6-1-1, HK$13,334,190. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Columbus County (NZ), 126, g, 5, Redwood (GB)–Spirit of
Sandford (NZ), by Kilimanjaro (GB). (NZ$33,000 Ylg '17
NZBFEB). O-Mr & Mrs Hamen Fan Shi Hoo, Alex Fan Chen Yen
& Christina Fan Chen Mun; B-D W Mayers & Mrs S J Taylor;
T-Caspar Fownes; 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: HF, 1 1/4, 2. Odds: 17-1, 11-5, 7-5.
Also Ran: Butterfield (Brz), Glorious Dragon (Ire), Russian Emperor (Ire), Packing Waltham (Fr), Time Warp (GB).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.

Courier Wonder Lives Up to Expectations…

Courier Wonder (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) announced himself as a potential G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint horse Sunday afternoon, taking full advantage of the race's handicap conditions to win the G3 Sha Tin Vase at Sha Tin. He remained perfect in five runs as the prohibitive favourite.

Rousted along early, the 3-year-old dropped into a perfect position, racing with cover on the circle–at times a touch keenly–and was angled out into the three path at the quarter pole. Joao Moreira had to get busy on his mount to get past Computer Patch (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), but he gained command and held off Stronger (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) while in receipt of 12 pounds from that rival. Sky Field (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), also carrying 130 pounds, got home well for third.

“I'm very excited [for next season], he's the type of horse that everyone dreams to have,” Moreira said. “In the straight, I pulled him out and he dashed home as he always does–good horses like him give jockeys an amazing feeling. When we first started turning, he got a bit lost and wanted to run out today, shying away from the other horses, but as we progressed he started to relax, which is fantastic.”

Trainer John Size indicated Courier Wonder is done for the season, with a prep towards December's international races meeting in the offing.

A full-brother to last month's G1 Doncaster Mile runner-up Icebath (NZ), Courier Wonder is the fifth stakes winner–all at group level–for his late sire (by O'Reilly {NZ}). Fabulist is the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Tivaci (Aus) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and produced fillies by Sacred Falls in 2019 and 2020.

WATCH: Courier Wonder makes it five straight in the Sha Tin Vase

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
SHA TIN VASE H.-G3, HK$4,000,000 (£318,554/€370,119/A$583,102/US$450,791), Sha Tin, 5-23, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.16, gd/fm.
1–COURIER WONDER (NZ), 118, g, 4, by Sacred Falls (NZ)
1st Dam: Fabulist (NZ), by Savabeel (Aus)
2nd Dam: Fontaine (NZ), by Centaine (Aus)
3rd Dam: Water Garden (Aus), by Bellwater (Fr)
1ST STAKES WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. (NZ$150,000 Ylg '19
NZBJAN). O-Mr & Mrs Chadwick Mok Cham Hung; B-Waikato
Stud Ltd; T-John Size; J-Joao Moreira; HK$2,495,000. Lifetime
Record: 5-5-0-0, HK$7,029,000. *1/2 to Nowyousee (NZ)
(O'Reilly {NZ}), SW-Sin, $441,970; Just Fabulous (NZ) (O'Reilly
{NZ}), GSP-NZ; full to Icebath (NZ), G1SP-Aus, $1,675,812.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stronger (Aus), 130, g, 4, Not A Single Doubt (Aus)–Star Pupil
(Aus), by Starcraft (NZ). (A$1,050,000 Ylg '18 INGEAS).
O-Cheung Hon Kit, Joanna Cheung Wai Size & Jonathan
Cheung Yu Shing; B-Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd & Planette
Thoroughbred (NSW); T-Douglas Whyte; J-Vincent Ho;
HK$770,000.
3–Sky Field (Aus), 130, g, 4, Deep Field (Aus)–Laravissante (NZ),
by O'Reilly (NZ). (NZ$175,000 Ylg '18 NZBJAN). O-Kwan Shiu
Man, Jessica Kwan Mun Hang & Jeffrey Kwan Chun Ming;
B-M Ryan (NSW); T-Caspar Fownes; J-Blake Shinn;
HK$402,500.
Margins: 3/4, HF, NO. Odds: 15-100, 24-1, 18-1.
Also Ran: Duke Wai (NZ), Computer Patch (Aus), Voyage Warrior (Aus), Rattan (NZ), Fat Turtle (Aus), Wishful Thinker (Aus).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.

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Elusive State on Dubai World Cup Trajectory

Elusive State (Aus) (All American {Aus}) missed a crack at Dubai World Cup night in 2020 when the meeting was canceled at the 11th hour, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the 7-year-old could take his chance this year following a victory in a rare Class 1 handicap over the Sha Tin all-weather track Sunday afternoon.

Slow to start, Elusive State raced in a share of last into and around the first turn, but was asked to improve by Joao Moreira at the 1100-meter mark and by the end of the next furlong and a half, was alongside favored Kings Shield (Scat Daddy), “giving him the big eyeball,” in the words of commentator Tom Wood. Matching strides on the second turn, Elusive State pressed by the 133-pound top-weight in upper stretch and came home a 1 3/4-length winner (video). The target now becomes Middle East riches, even if Plan A seems to have fallen apart.

“One would have liked to have gone to Saudi Arabia–the Saudi Cup would have been his race over 1800m and that would be the actual race for him,” trainer Tony Millard told the HKJC's Leo Schlink, adding that there are significant obstacles regarding travel from Hong Kong to Riyadh.”

Originally programmed for the G2 Godolphin Mile on World Cup night, Elusive State is now likely for the marquee event following a discussion between Moreira and Millard.

“Quite clearly, he gave them a galloping lesson here today because it (the race pattern) wasn't what we wanted,” Millard said. “On the back of this, we'll be definitely be going for the [G1] World Cup instead of the G2 Godolphin Mile because Joao feels that with him losing his early speed, he reckons that will be the right race for him. I don't think he could have had a better run in than this–I'm quite excited. I think he's going to be a big runner.

Millard added: “It's taken a bit of time to get him back into form. Last year, we had hardly raced him and then with Dubai coming and going (traveling to Dubai before the carnival was abandoned because of COVID-19), it really upset the apple cart. “It's just lovely to have a horse like this and also to have a dream –that's what it's all about.”

Hong Kong's last runner in the World Cup was the Caspar Fownes-trained Gun Pit (Aus) (Dubawi {Ire}), who ran second in the 2016 G1 Al Maktoum Challenge – R3 with Moreira in the irons before finishing tailed off behind California Chrome in the main event.

WATCH: Elusive State (#2) takes out the Class 1 feature at Sha Tin Jan. 17

The post Elusive State on Dubai World Cup Trajectory appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Zac Purton Claims International Jockeys’ Championship; Hollie Doyle First Woman To Win IJC Race

Zac Purton has claimed ultimate honors in the HK$800,000 (US$103,200) LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship on Wednesday at Happy Valley after clinching a tense contest from Joao Moreira in a dramatic finale to the four-race series.

Tied with Moreira on 18 points heading into the deciding race of the contest, Purton collected an invaluable two after dead-heating for third aboard Flying Bonus with Wind N Grass (Tom Marquand).

Moreira, who needed to finish ahead of Purton in the championship-deciding contest to add another accolade to his bulging collection, crossed the line in sixth place on Cue The Music, failing to improve his score.

On a landmark evening when Hollie Doyle became the first woman in history to win a leg of the of International Jockeys' Championship on David Hayes' Harmony N Blessed, Purton totaled 20 points under the 12-6-4 point format to deny Moreira (18).

Doyle and Alexis Badel were tied for third with 12 points each after Badel's victory on Gallant Crown.

Hong Kong's reigning champion jockey, Purton posted a treble at the meeting while also earning HK$500,000 (about US$65,000) – the richest prize in racing for competition of this type – as LONGINES IJC champion.

Tony Millard pocketed the HK$200,000 (US$25,800) bonus as the most successful trainer of the series after notching a double with Gallant Crown and Gift Of Lifeline in the third leg, who was ridden by Purton in the pair's first successful collaboration since 2015.

Now a two-time champion after success in 2017, Purton was elated with the timely success ahead of the prestige LONGINES Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on Sunday, Dec. 13.

“In a competition like this when there's so much on the line, it certainly feels nice to have won it again, it's another moment that I'll cherish,” he said.

“I didn't start off too well but we built into it after that. Like I've been saying for quite some time now, barriers win races and unfortunately for me it seems have been going on for months.

“I've been drawing such bad barriers, every meeting, it's making so difficult to be competitive.

“Then I come here tonight and, as I said, they weren't the best rides in the race but the barriers gave them the chance to be competitive. I just needed a bit of luck and things went my way.”

Moreira set the early tone with a measured ride on Gouten Of Garo in the opening race of the contest, logging maximum points in the Class 4 contest for trainer David Ferraris.

“This horse actually surprised all of us,” Moreira said. “On paper, he didn't look like he was much of a chance.

“But David has done his job very well and he sent his horse out in great shape and he just delivered what he has got best.

“Up in class, we were not that confident. But I am pleased to be wrong.”

Badel was chuffed to land the second leg for Millard with Gallant Crown, who staved off Fearless Fire (Purton) and Maldives (Pierre-Charles Boudot).

“I'm glad to win for him (Millard), he's been a great supporter so far all this season and I'm glad he had such an important win tonight,” said the Frenchman, who is relishing his third stint based in Hong Kong.

“He (Gallant Crown) is a very good horse to pick up, he showed 1650 (meters) was perfect for him.”

Purton thrust his way into contention with a clinical display on Gift Of Lifeline in the third leg, prevailing in his first ride for Millard since June of 2017.

Moreira claimed a vital six points by finishing second on Smiling City for a share of the lead ahead of the finale as defending champion Karis Teetan earned four points with third placing on Helene Wisdom Star.

Hollie Doyle drives Harmony N Blessed to victory in the final leg of the IJC.

Doyle, only the third woman to contest the International Jockeys' Championship after Emma-Jayne Wilson (2007) and Chantal Sutherland (2009), delivered strongly supported Harmony N Blessed – but much of the focus was on the action behind her as Purton and Moreira dueled to the line.

“It's amazing,” Doyle said. “It's just great to be here and it's the icing on the cake.

“He's a very, big strong horse. I think he's got a good future ahead of him.”

The 12 jockeys involved in the contest – six from Hong Kong and six from Great Britain and Europe – all praised the Hong Kong Jockey Club's balanced ride allocation.

The system was devised by Australian expert form analyst Dominic Beirne.

“There have been a lot of good story lines out of tonight and I think the new system gave a lot of jockeys in the room a bit of confidence,” Purton said. “I could feel the enthusiasm in the room and everyone was keen to go out there and give themselves a chance.

“Hollie winning a race was another highlight and Tony winning the trainers' bonus and me being able to seal it for him. Hopefully we broke ice there and we can put our long run of outs behind us and just get on with business.”

On a glorious evening for Purton, he posted his 1200th win in Hong Kong after saluting on Run The Table in the Class 5 Australia Handicap and Speedy Optimist in the Class 5 Brazil Handicap, although he had to share honors in the latter after a dead-heat with Frenchman Alexis Badel aboard Great Harvest.

Purton is only the second jockey to reach the 1200-win milestone in Hong Kong. Record-holder Douglas Whyte (1813) is the other.

A four-time winner of the Hong Kong jockeys' championship, Purton rode his first winner in the jurisdiction in 2007.

Racing continues on Sunday with the glittering LONGINES Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin.

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