Exciting galloper, Armada (Towkay x Dance In Time) kept his perfect record in tact with a hard fought victory in the Class 1 Sha Tin Mile Trophy in Hong Kong yesterday.

The John Size trained runner has won all six of his starts to date and was duly awarded the title of Most Improved Horse in Hong Kong this season, having progressed through the grades with consummate ease after commencing in Class 4 company in November.

In what was the final meeting for the season, New Zealand bred gallopers provided the trifecta in the feature event, with All's Well (City on a Hill x Alot of Music) narrowly going down to Armada in an epic finish, whilst another son of Towkay in Lotzatow (ex Maretto) finished in third.

Armada narrowly defeats  All's Well in Sha Tin Mile Trophy  Picture: HKJC

Runner up, All's Well is a graduate of New Zealand Bloodstock's Ready to Run Sale, purchased by Tommy Cheung from Mission Lodge for $40,000 in 2004.

Lotzatow was purchased for $7,000 by Chris Hausman at the 2003 Karaka Festival Yearling Sale and was trained by John and Teria McKay in New Zealand, where he was a winner of the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) as a two-year-old, before being sold to Hong Kong.

Earlier on the card, three-year-old Maverick (Volksraad x Kape Dancer) an International Sales Graduate originally sold at Karaka, recorded his second victory in Hong Kong, denying a fast finishing King Of Spades in a Class 4 over 1600m.

Maverick was well ridden by Eddie Lai for Capsar Fownes, winning by a short head. The son of Volksraad fetched $100,000 at the 2004 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale to the bid of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and was sold by Trelawney Stud.

In Race 5, New Zealand breds, Happy Kid (Soviet Star x La Rousset) and Conqueror (Woodborough x Britney's Way) finished in first and second place respectively in a Class 4 over 1400m.

Purchased by Bryce Tankard for $100,000 from the New Zealand Bloodstock Select Colts Sale in 2002, Happy Kid has now won 4 races for popular local trainer, Ricky Yiu.

Race 8, a Class 2 event over 1600m, saw Maverick Star (Desert King x Cenphic) make it back to back victories when successful over another New Zealand Bloodstock graduate in First Among Equals (Tale of the Cat x Fikra).

Entered in the 2003 Karaka Premier Yearling, Maverick Star raced in New Zealand as Go Our Kingi for Mike Breslin, where he was a winner of 2 of his 3 starts. Now in the care of Dennis Yip, Maverick Star came from worse than mid field to prevail over First Among Equals, who also finished well.

First Among Equals was purchased for $80,000 at the 2002 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Woodsend Farm.

Kiwis Dominate Australian Staying Features

New Zealand bred gallopers were again in the thick of the action in Queensland over the weekend, providing the first two runners past the post in an incident packed Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m).

For the second successive year, the Peter McKenzie trained Empyreal (His Royal Highness x Diphda) took out the Sunshine Coast staying feature, under a cool ride from South Island hoop Chris Johnson.

Empyreal reeled in fellow Kiwi, Sphenophyta (Groom Dancer x Ballermoss) in the shadows of the post and now looks likely to be aimed at the Grafton Cup, while McKenzie is vowing to return for a tilit at a third successive Caloundra Cup next year.

Sphenophyta, trained by Richard Otto, will now return to New Zealand with a Spring campaign in Melbourne on the agenda. The son of Green Dancer spoilt his chances of victory by over-racing.

Empyreal continues to fly the flag for McKenzie's home bred stallion, His Royal Highness, who only last week produced the impressive Stakes winner, Miles. Sphenophyta was offered at the 2002 Select Sale by Curraghmore Stud, where he was passed in at $12,000.

The Caloundra Cup was marred by the break down of New Zealand mare, Richter Pass (Entreupreneur x Karafiya), who subsequently brought down the Donna Logan trained Ring Of Fire (Anziyan x Setchell).

Meanwhile in Sydney, the Neville McBurney trained Brave Lancer (Bahhare x Fine Talk) strode away with the Listed Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill, making amends for his last start defeat when slow to begin.

A talented stayer, Brave Lancer scored by three-lengths over Verb (Zabeel x Darra Princess). Brave Lancer provides yet another boost for Rich Hill Stud stallion, Bahhare, who returns to New Zealand this season after a three-year absence.

Brave Lancer was purchased at the 2002 Select Yearling Sale by Michael Stedman for $42,000. Trainer Neville McBurney will now target the Geelong Cup during the Melbourne Spring, a race in which the rising five-year-old finished runner-up last year.

Itmaybeyou Claims Second Leg of Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge

High class three-year-old, Itmaybeyou (Howbaddouwantit x Julie's Sailboat) turned in a gritty performance to capture the second leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge at Kranji on Friday night.

Ridden by leading jockey Saimee Jumat for trainer Tim Pinfield, Itmaybeyou traveled wide throughout and was headed in the straight by eventual runner-up, Lim's Fighter (Flying Spur), before fighting back for a determined victory.

The son of Howbaddouwantit, Itmaybeyou finished third behind fellow Karaka graduate, Why Be (Success Express x Charybdis) in the opening leg of the triple crown series, and with that runner absent on Friday, Itmaybeyou proved too strong in the S$350,000 event.

The Laurie Laxon trained My Royal Captain (Zabeel x Kiwi Magic) finished third, while talented three-year-old, Crusoe (Volksraad x Caserio) was fourth.

Itmaybeyou was purchased by Bruce Wallace for $22,500 at the 2004 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Fairdale Stud. My Royal Captain fetched $120,000 to the bid of Rob McAnulty at the same sale.

Trainer Tim Pinfold is confident Itmaybeyou will handle the rise in distance to 1600m for the final leg of the Three-Year-Old Challenge Series, having overcome barrier 11 on Friday night.

In the other feature event on the card, seven year old New Zealand bred gelding, Royalty (Shinko King x Princess Gaius) took out the $125,000 Open Handicap over 2000m.

Raced in New Zealand as His Highness until the age of four, Royalty was purchased at the 2001 Karaka Select Colts Sale by Jim Gibbs for $60,000.