NZ Breds Win Seven from Ten in Hong Kong
20 March 2006
New Zealand bred horses had a dominant hand at Sha Tin on Sunday night, winning seven of the ten races on the card.
Race 1 - The Griffin Class Severn Plate (1200m) was won by New Zealand Bloodstock 2005 Premier Sale graduate, Winning Fellowship (O'Reilly x Cent From Heaven), in this his second start. The colt was ridden to victory by Shane Dye for trainer, Danny Shum, who purchased the colt from Te Parae Stud for NZ$110,000. Cent From Heaven has produced four to race, all winners, including the Gr. 3 winner in New Zealand, Eloa (Volksraad).
Race 2 - Olivier Doleuze rode Lazy Buddies (Woodman x Sneetch) to clinch the win in the second of the night, the Class 5 Pollock Handicap (1800m). Bought at the 2002 Premier Yearling Sale from Trelawney Stud for NZ$120,000, he is a half brother to promising Hong Kong performer, Lucky Stravinsky (Stravinsky x Sneetch).
Race 4 - Elephant Dance (Senor Pete x Zephyr Comet) travelled wide throughout the running of the fourth on the card and then streaked ahead to win the Class 4 Plantation Handicap (2200m) for trainer, Gary Ng. A 2000 Karaka Festival Sale graduate, the seven year old gelding was purchased by New Zealand trainer, Bruce Wallace, for NZ$16,000.
Race 5 - Ex-pat Kiwi trainer, Paul O'Sullivan had the upper hand in the New Zealand bred quinella of the night, with Jade Dragonfly (Danasinga x Rampage Queen) winning the Class 4 Peel Rise Handicap (1600m). He showed a great burst of speed for Olivier Doleuze to give his jockey his second win for the night. Waikato Stud sold the son of Danasinga at the 2004 Premier Yearling Sale for NZ$100,000.
In the same race, fellow New Zealand Bloodstock graduate Terraferma (O'Reilly x Significant) came in second place. By another Waikato Stud sire in O'Reilly, he was sold to Karapiro Bloodstock at the 2003 National Weanling Sale for NZ$30,000 by Sedgemere Farm.
Race 6 - Victory Code (Faltaat x Crest of Casitas) produced his second win from five starts in Hong Kong for David Hall, with a victory in the Class 4 Lugard Handicap (1400m). Starting from barrier 12 and slotting in behind the field throughout the running, he sustained a grinding run down the straight to win. Australian bloodstock agent, John Foote, purchased Victory Code for NZ$100,000 at the 2003 Select Colt Sale from Rich Hill Stud.
Race 8 - The Dennis Yip-trained, Jiang Jun (Danske x Carol Singer), held off a challenge from Winning Reward to win the eighth race of the night, the Class 3 Harlech Handicap (1400m). Esker Lodge sold the three-time Hong Kong winner to New Zealand trainer, Chris Wood, at the 2003 Select Sale for NZ$34,000.
Race 10 - In the last on the card, the Class 3 Homestead Handicap (1800m), a New Zealand bred trifecta took home top honours. The win by the John Size trained Kowloon Fit (Towkay x Replica) gave his trainer the Hong Kong record of 300 winners in five seasons.
Fellow New Zealand bred Noble Heart (Deputy Governor x Domino) drove hard for an impressive second. Poon Wah and Tommy Poon purchased the chestnut gelding at the 2003 Karaka Premier Sale for NZ$200,000 from Chequers Stud.
Third place-getter was Time Supreme (O'Reilly x Brilliant Victory), a pin-hooked yearling from the 2003 Select Colt Sale by Chris Hausman's Mission Lodge. Michael Stedman Bloodstock of New South Wales paid NZ$105,000 at the 2003 Ready to Run Sale for the three-time winner in Hong Kong.