Another HK Blitz as NZ Wins 6 from 10 on the Card

Another fantastic night in Hong Kong for New Zealand horses saw six New Zealand-bred winners from the ten races on the card, plus two more from the New Zealand Bloodstock sale-ring.

On the same day, HKJC Executive Director Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges was quoted in New Zealand's Sunday News as saying, "We would attend seven or eight sales a year and I have no doubt that your New Zealand sale offers the best value of any of them. The horses we get from there and others that are brought into Hong Kong prove very adaptable and durable."

"The results of our races show that and I have no hesitation in labelling the New Zealand horses as perfect for racing here."

Race 1 - NZ$280,000 Karaka Premier Sale graduate, First Baby (Montjeu x Fleur de Chine), showed much improvement to win the Griffin Class Clague Cup (1400m) by 1� lengths. A half brother to Group 1 SAJC Australian Oaks winner, Tully Thunder (Thunder Gulch), this was a third start win by the two-year-old for trainer, Alex Wong. Fellow NZB graduate, Winning Fellowship (O'Reilly x Cent from Heaven), was third.

Race 3 - Wine Win (Stravinsky x Tycoon's Gold) produced his first career win for Danny Shum in the Class 4 MacWhinnie Cup (1200m). Ridden by Gerard Mosse, he streaked ahead of the field early and took an unassailable lead to win by two lengths. Wine Win was bought by Graeme Sanders from the 2004 Premier Sale at Karaka, for NZ$180,000 from Lyndhurst Farm.

Race 5 - Quest for Love (Quest for Fame x Ad Astra) wound up well for Chris Munce to win the Class 3 Purves Quaich Handicap (1400m), his third win from nine starts in Hong Kong. Now trained by David Ferraris, Tony Bott paid NZ$180,000 for Quest for Love from Haunui Farm's draft at the 2004 Karaka Premier Sale.

Third place-getter was Good View Success (Danske x Eartha), a purchase by Japanese agent, Hajime Kaneko, at the 2003 Karaka Select Colts Sale for NZ$32,500 from Loch-Haven Thoroughbreds.

Race 6 - Terraferma (O'Reilly x Significant) produced a gritty win in the Class 4 Cheung Cup Handicap (1400m) for trainer John Moore. A consistent performer, he has won two and placed in three of his last five starts.  A weanling graduate of the 2003 NZB National Broodmare & Weanling Sale, he was purchased by Tim Carter's Karapiro Bloodstock for NZ$30,000 from Sedgmere Farm.

Race 7 - The feature race of the night, the Class 1 Hong Kong Macau Trophy (1400m), saw Happee Owner (Towkay x Make Up) continue his rise up the ratings for Tony Cruz. A Group 1 winner in New Zealand as Ambitious Owner, and winner of three in Hong Kong, his half-sister, South Street, has a colt by Cullen entered in the upcoming National Weanling Sale at Karaka at Lot 37.

New Zealand bred Danacourt (Danasinga x Frizzle), formerly trained by Chris and Coleen Wood, was just a short head behind.

Race 8 - New Zealand-bred Har Har Charms (Green Perfume x Ruby Turner), out of a full sister to Singapore Horse of the Year, Zirna (Deputy Governor x Riverly Lass), won the Class 3 Swaine Cup (1200m) for his third win in eight starts for trainer, John Size.

Race 9 - Regency Horse (Stravinsky x Rivertaine) and Kindacross (Cape Cross x Kindness) produced a stunning New Zealand Bloodstock graduate quinella in the Class 1 Li Cup (1200m). This was the second success of the night for Cambridge Stud sire, Stravinsky, and also for trainer, Tony Cruz.

Prominent South Island owner, Ray Coupland, purchased Regency Horse from Little Avondale Stud at the 2003 Karaka Premier Sale for NZ$60,000. Te Akau Stud's, David Ellis, purchased Kindacross at the 2004 Premier Yearling Sale for NZ$62,500 from Cambridge Stud.

Race 10 - Little Avondale Stud sire, Towkay, claimed his second winner of the night with Armada (Towkay x Dance in Time) continuing his perfect record of four starts for four wins. An exciting prospect, he comfortably won the last, the Class 2 Wong Cup (1400m) for the successful John Size and David Whyte combination. Towkay is represented by eight weanlings in Sunday's National Weanling Sale at Karaka.