NZB Graduates Claim Five Wins in HK
8 May 2006
New Zealand Bloodstock graduates again performed with distinction, claiming five of the ten races on the card on Champions Mile day at Sha Tin on Sunday.
In the feature event, the HK$8m Champions Mile (1600m), the glory went to American bred, Bullish Luck, for the second year in a row. Last year the destroyer of Silent Witness's run of wins, this year Bullish Luck stormed home to defeat a bold effort from former-New Zealand galloper, Danacourt (Danasinga x Frizzle). Trained by Chris and Colleen Wood in New Zealand, Danacourt has notched up three wins and two seconds from his six race starts in Hong Kong for trainer John Size.
The Sha Tin meeting on Sunday started with New Zealand Bloodstock graduates claiming a trifecta in the first race. Brave Commander (Gold Brose x Audrey Rose) took out the 1400m event by a length and a half from Miracle Dragon (Danehill x Spell On You), with Touch Down (Kashani x Phantom Belle) closing well for third.
Brave Commander was bred by Westbury Stud Manager, Russell Warwick, and is a graduate of the 2001 Karaka Select Yearling Sale, where Michael Stedman purchased him for NZ$60,000. Trained by Tony Cruz, Brave Commander was expertly ridden by Felix Coetzee to record his third career win. Runner-up, Miracle Dragon, was purchased at the 2003 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale for NZ$420,000, while third place getter, Touch Down, was purchased by Game Lodge for NZ$18,000 at the 2000 Karaka Festival Yearling Sale.
In Race 2, NZ$150,000 Karaka Ready to Run Sale graduate, Barracuda (Barathea x Express The Blues), led throughout for a comfortable victory in a Class 4 Monicou Handicap (2000m). The Almond Lee trained winner of five races was purchased at the 2000 Sale by Peter Chapple-Hyam from Dean Hawthorne's Anzac Lodge.
In a second NZB quinella, Bulb King (Flying Spur x Dragoncello ) took out the Class 3 JRA Handicap in Race 4, narrowly defeating Sand Dance (Sandtrap x Dance Hall Blues) by a short head over the 1000 metre straight. Trained by Gary Ng, Bulb King took up a forward position for Eddie Lai to continue his good record over what appears to be his pet distance.
A graduate of the 2003 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale, Bulb King was purchased by Bruce Wallace for NZ$67,500 from Chatham Lodge Thoroughbreds. Sand Dance was purchased by Bevan Laming at the 2002 Ready to Run Sale for NZ$30,000 from Mike Tololi's Karaka Group.
In Race 6, Skyview Bar (Centaine x Rock The Kasbar) gave Almond Lee his second winner of the night when he was successful over 1400m in the Class 4 Isle of Mann Handicap. Dwayne Dunn parked the three-year-old, winner of two from five, in second place throughout the running before kicking him into gear along the straight to win by three quarters of a length. Bred by Grand Vue Lodge, the son of Centaine was secured for NZ$45,000 by John Foote at the 2004 Karaka Select Yearling Sale.
New Zealand-breds provided the quinella in the Class 2 Dubai Racing Club Handicap (1600m), at Race 8, with promising gallopers Able One (Cape Cross x Gardenia) and Lotzatow (Towkay x Maretto) in first and second. Able One, bred by Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan, prevailed to win by just under a length from the fast finishing Lotzatow.
The John Moore trained Able One was bought by Graeme Saunders for NZ$190,000 at the Karaka Select Yearling Sale, and was then sold at the Karaka Ready to Run Sale of two-year-olds. There he went to the sale-topping bid of bloodstock agent, Paul Beamish, for NZ$270,000.
The Little Avondale Stud-bred, Lotzatow, was purchased for NZ$7,000 at the 2003 Karaka Festival Sale and has won 3 races since relocating to Hong Kong.