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Hong Kong
| Monday, May 26, 2008 |
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| Sunny Power posts Black Type win in Vase |
| Posted @ 08:24:00 EST |
Australian bred sprinter Sunny Power posted his first Black Type success when prevailing in a thrilling finish to the Sha Tin Vase HK Gr 3 at Sha Tin on Sunday, reports Breednet.com.au.
It says: Burdened with top weight in the 1200 metre handicap, the son of much maligned shuttle sire Honour and Glory (USA) was perfectly ridden by Brett Prebble who brought the five year-old into contention with a well-timed run that carried him to a short head win over former Gai Waterhouse trained galloper Westicaro (now racing as Superior Unit) with last season's Group One winning NZ juvenile Nightlign in third place.
A model of consistency, Sunny Power has won eight races from 18 starts.
Prepared by Francis Lui throughout his career, Sunny Power was bred by Peter Cruickshank of Courts in Session fame.
Sunny Power was sold privately to Hong Kong and is the third foal of the Palace Music (USA) mare Zebra, a daughter of stakes-placed Jewel of the Night from the family of Denise’s Joy.
Zebra has done a good job at stud as she is also the dam of stakes-placed galloper Entreaty.
She has a two year-old filly called Zamunda by Bureaucracy, a yearling filly by Johannesburg (USA) and was covered last spring by triple Group One winning Danehill stallion Oratorio (IRE).
Also scoring in the manner of a horse on the up at Sha Tin was the Scenic (IRE) four year-old Best Friend trained by David Hall. |
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| Friday, April 25, 2008 |
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| Viva Pataca races for charity at Sha Tin |
| Posted @ 20:32:00 EST |
Champion stayer Viva Pataca will be racing for charity in Sundays HK$14 million Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
Angela Leong On-kei, wife of Viva Patacas owner casino king Stanley Ho Hung-sun, speaking after drawing barrier 11 in the race of 12 horses, said yesterday any prize money the horse wins will go to the Beijing Games equestrian events.
Viva Pataca recently ran second in the Dubai Sheema Classic over 2400m and is widely expected to go one better in this weekends 2000m.
His wide barrier draw has now focused attention on Helene Mascot, the Hong Kong Derby winner that trainer Tony Cruz called the best stayer I have ever had and that is likely to start second favorite.
New Zealand's front- runner Sir Slick drew gate one, a position owner- trainer Graeme Nicholson described as fantastic, unbelievable, just what he wanted. |
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| Tuesday, April 8, 2008 |
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| John Size completes another training triumph |
| Posted @ 19:34:00 EST |
From Murray Bell of the HK Racing Post
John Size completed another superb training triumph, winning Sunday's HK$3 million Chairman's Trophy second-up with Armada to put the star galloper's career firmly back on track and the Group One Champions Mile awaits.
However, the secondary story was the emphatic confirmation of the Derby form, with classic runner-up Jackpot Delight running Armada to a neck to earn his invitation to compete at international level next start.
Armada has been in catch-up mode after a year off with problems that struck when he was seemingly at the height of his powers but, with just one run back, he showed he was ready to challenge for the champion-miler mantle that Good Ba Ba wrested from his grasp.
Armada was the champion miler in 2006-07 but, after his defeat in this very race 12 months ago by Good Ba Ba, Size was not happy with the gelding's health and put him aside.
"It's a relief to have him back racing and winning again so soon after such a long break. The main thing was that he wasn't broken down, there was no actual injury," Size said. "We tried to bring him back for the international races but he wasn't right, so I didn't persist. When he resumed the other week [Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup] he found trouble early in the straight and the run was better than it might have looked on paper, but that run really brought him on.
"The feeling he was giving me in his work was that he was ready to go to the races again. Douglas [Whyte] was a bit kind today when he hit the front but Armada did what he had to do to hold Jackpot Delight when he challenged and I was happy with that. Hopefully now he'll go home and find another couple of lengths in the next three weeks." |
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| Wednesday, March 19, 2008 |
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| Moore likely to hit target at Happy Valley |
| Posted @ 11:16:00 EST |
From ALAN AITKEN of the HK Racing Post
www.racing.scmp.com
Like a cricket batsmen in the nervous nineties, trainer John Moore has been wearing away steadily rather than spectacularly at landing his 1,000th winner, with victories seemingly tough to find in recent weeks.
But, needing two more for his four figures, Moore might be able to do it tonight, though he has only a handful of runners.
Shortest-priced of them is going to be Master Gunner (Darren Beadman) in race six, where he has the benefit of barrier one and he could be win number 1,000 if Famous Dancer ($54), Sounds Best ($170) (both race three) or Rewarding Star ($46, race four) can do the right thing.
Master Gunner ($25) has improved with every run, and while the three-year-old had his chance to win behind Add The Fun last time, he has more scope for improvement yet.
Canadian jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson will get a chance to lodge a winner at Happy Valley, even as she prepares to leave Hong Kong, after requesting a termination of her licence. Wilson made the request at Sunday's Hong Kong Derby meeting to cut her contract short after her main stable in Toronto sent word that she is required earlier than first expected to prepare horses for the resumption of racing on April 5. |
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| Tuesday, February 19, 2008 |
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| Country Magic can weave a spell at the Valley |
| Posted @ 23:01:00 EST |
Country Magic hasn't had the best of luck of late, but with the aid of an inside barrier he should have no trouble returning to his best in the final leg of Wednesday night's Triple Trio at Happy Valley, reports John Bell of the HK Racing Post.
He reports: The Tony Cruz-trained gelding showed what he was capable of three starts back when scoring a comprehensive victory over the same course and distance when bouncing to the front, but he wasn't as effective at his next outing when gassed in the lead.
From an awkward barrier last start, he was forced to race wide throughout before finishing sixth to the promising Harb.
With regular rider Marco Chui Kwan-lai on the sidelines due to suspension, Cruz has called on Eric Saint-Martin to take the ride and from gate two he will have the option either to lead or take a sit behind the speedy Reunion.
Regardless of which option the Frenchman takes, the four-year-old will get every opportunity to return to the winners' circle.
His main danger, and an appealing double banker option, is the honest Double Luck.
The Manfred Man Ka-leung-trained three-year-old showed good fight under pressure to share first prize with the smart One World two starts back, before looking unlucky not to finish closer to the same horse last start after being held up at a crucial stage. |
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| Wednesday, February 13, 2008 |
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| Caspar ready for Amazing night at Happy Valley |
| Posted @ 09:58:00 EST |
From MURRAY BELL of the HK Racing Post
It's Wednesday night at Happy Valley and, unless the end of the world has crept up on us, that means at least one of the eight winners will come from the Caspar Fownes stable.
And the early players have decided Amazing Choisir is the most likely of his chances in the fifth event, the middle pin of the Triple Trio.
Amazing Choisir took a while to get his act together but has become a model of consistency since finishing second to Salut Beaute over 1,200 metres at his third run for the new term.
He has now strung four good runs together, the latest a solid victory over 1,400m at Sha Tin, and immediately after that race Fownes announced the gelding's next target would be over the extended Valley mile.
Amazing Choisir will again be partnered by Christophe Soumillon, who is into the final month of his winter contract with the Jockey Club.
Soumillon is a sensational jockey, one of the best in the world and even his staunchest rivals admire the way he drives his horses to the line and extracts levels of performance from them that others cannot.
He has set up a sound set of statistics in partnership with Fownes. They have combined 17 times and have filled a placing in nine, with three being wins and six times in the quinella. |
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| Friday, February 1, 2008 |
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| Multi-Win Spirit in good heart for Sha Tin |
| Posted @ 16:45:00 EST |
From JOHN BELL of the HK Racing Post
(www.racing.scmp.com)
Multi-Win Spirit may have a history of wind problems, but after finally coming up with a good barrier draw he should be able to reward his loyal connections with a well-deserved win in the middle pin of tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon's Triple Trio at Sha Tin.
He was diagnosed as a roarer at his first outing back in April 2004 and it was no surprise to see him take a quick tumble in the ratings.
However, his form has slowly improved since getting down to Class Five and on the evidence of recent efforts his winning turn has finally arrived.
The Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained gelding turned in an improved performance two starts back when running second to Withallmyheart, despite covering ground, and he looked all over a winner last start before finding Cheerful Happiness too strong.
From gate two this time, Felix Coetzee should be able to give the six-year-old the run of the race and, in an event lacking depth, he will be the one they all have to catch in the final stages.
Namjong Sky and Rampant Lion are both on the verge of breaking though and will be the toughest to hold out, while other worthy inclusions are Rising Win and Lightning Mount. |
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| Wednesday, January 16, 2008 |
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| Big replay looms in Centenary Sprint Cup |
| Posted @ 00:31:00 EST |
The Jockey Club will host a virtual replay of the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint on Sunday week when Sacred Kingdom, Absolute Champion and Royal Delight do battle once again in the HK$4.5 million Centenary Sprint Cup, reports Murray Bell of the Racing Post in HK.
He reports: This Group One race over 1,000 metres down the Sha Tin straight will be the opening leg of the sprinters' triple crown and sees the much-awaited return of Sacred Kingdom, the world's top-rated turf sprinter.
In the wake of a spectacular, unbeaten sequence of three since turning four, Encosta de Lago's son Sacred Kingdom has become the latest big thing, with his record now reading eight wins from nine attempts.
His international rating has been raised to 123 - bringing him on par with the great Silent Witness - while a domestic rating of 130 has seen him elevated above Viva Pataca (129) and Vengeance Of Rain (128) as the best horses in town.
Absolute Champion was runner-up in this race last year to Scintillation and has been kept nice and fresh for his return to 1,000m by trainer David Hall.
However, it's notable that Scintillation is missing from the race, having performed poorly at his last outing behind Able Prince in the Bauhinia Sprint Trophy. |
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| Monday, December 24, 2007 |
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| Aussie gallopers nab 5 races at Sha Tin |
| Posted @ 11:28:00 EST |
Australian bred horses captured five races on the Sha Tin program in Hong Kong on Sunday with victories for Celestial Wonder (Fasliyev (USA), Lifeline Pegaasus (Quest for Fame (GB), Mythic Steed (Spinning World (USA), Namjong Fighters (Agnes World (USA) and One World (Danehill Dancer (IRE), reports Breednet.com.au.
Trained by John Moore and ridden by Darren Beadman, One World started favourite in the Class Three event over 1200 metres and after settling back in the field charged into contention with a furlong to run. In the end had to share the win with O'Reilly three year-old Double Luck, the pair finishing locked together to record a rare dead heat. |
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| Wednesday, December 12, 2007 |
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| Nirvana seeks heavenly win at Happy Valley |
| Posted @ 10:32:00 EST |
By ALAN AITKEN of the HK Racing Post
(www.racing.scmp.com)
Happy Valley's dominant stable, the Caspar Fownes yard, looks ready to strike in tonight's Tung Wah Centenary Challenge Cup (1,000m) with the lightly raced four-year-old Nirvana.
The grey put the writing on the wall as a future winner in his controversial last-start eighth up the Sha Tin straight behind South China Elite, but most importantly he has come up with gate one and a race that should be run to suit.
Nirvana's first-up run over the Valley 1,000m was also an eye-catcher behind Glory Years, but a stewards' inquiry into the run at Sha Tin certainly shone a spotlight on him that day.
Jamie Stier's panel grilled jockey Shane Dye over a section of the race in the final 150 metres when Dye stopped riding his mount forwards, despite having an open gap in front of him between the outside rail and race leader Shy Baldy.
Dye explained to the stewards that he was concerned at another runner that was shifting out and into the path of Shy Baldy and said he felt the gap was going to close before he got through it.
An understanding stewards panel decided not to take action over the incident, according to the stewards report, as it could not be satisfied that Dye had cost Nirvana a place.
But the incident certainly cost Nirvana ground and, being only his second run for the season and fifth in Hong Kong overall, it would seem logical to expect some improvement from the horse. |
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