NZ Breds Win 5 in Hong Kong

Continuing their run of success last season, New Zealand breds took five of the nine races on the card at Sha Tin yesterday:

• Champ Dragon (NZ) (Maroof-Zonal) was the first winner of the day in the Class 4 Shantou Handicap (1400m). Trained by Caspar Fownes, he was purchased as a yearling from the Premier Sale at Karaka for NZ$280,000 from Sir Patrick Hogan's Cambridge Stud.
• Race 3 saw the first of two New Zealand-bred trifectas of the meeting in the Foshan Handicap (1200m). Successor (NZ) (Bahhare-Betty Doolin), trained by Almond Lee, secured a two and half length victory over Kowloon Fit (NZ) (Towkay-Replica) in second and Treasure Raiders (NZ) (Felix the Cat-Lunar Lady) in third. Successor won the richest two year old race in New Zealand last season, the NZ$500,000 New Zealand Bloodstock 2YO Classique (1200m), open to graduates of the Karaka yearling sales. He was purchased by former trainer John Sargent for NZ$21,000. Treasure Raiders was a NZ$13,000 purchase as a yearling from the Karaka Festival Sale, now trained in Hong Kong by Paul O'Sullivan.
• The first five horses home in Race 5's ten-horse field were all New Zealand-bred. Led by the three year old gelding, Champion King (NZ) (Monolith-Garnett Court), a NZ$11,000 purchase from the Karaka Festival Sale, Join Victory (Tale of the Cat-Tisolde) was second and Fast Track (NZ) (Faltaat-Questionmark) was third in the 1400m event.� Join Victory was purchased by New Zealand bloodstock agent, Rob McAnulty, for NZ$60,000 from Waikato Stud's draft at the 2002 Karaka Premier Sale.
• Race 8, the Class 3 Guangzhou Handicap (1400m), was won by Regency Horse (NZ) (Stravinsky-Rivertaine). Trained by Tony Cruz and ridden by Feliz Coetzee, this was the four year old's second win from five starts in Hong Kong having previously raced in New Zealand as Coup Stravinsky. Sold by Buzz and Sam Williams' Little Avondale Stud, he was purchased as a yearling at Karaka by Ray Coupland for NZ$60,000.�Regency Horse's�half brother by O'Reilly will be offered at New Zealand Bloodstock's Ready to Run Sale on 15 & 16 November.
• The last race on the card, the Class 3 Chaozhou Handicap (1600m), saw a third career win by five year old, Noble Heart (NZ) (Deputy Governor-Domino). Purchased at Karaka by Mr Poon Wah and Mr Tommy Poon from Chequers Stud for NZ$200,000, Noble Heart is trained for them by Francis Lui.