Why Be Wins First Leg of Singapore 3YO Challenge

In Singapore, rising star Why Be (Success Express x Charybdis) clinched the first leg of the prestigious Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge at Kranji on Friday night.

The S$250,000 Group 3 win over 1200m secured the Karaka graduate an impressive 10 wins from 13 starts, having finished further back than second on only one occasion.

Why Be was bought from the 2004 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Sale as a yearling from Chequers Stud for NZ$26,000 by Bruce Wallace.  The colt is trained by Laurie Laxon and raced by Perfectum Stable, winner of the Singapore Champion Owner award in 2005. Perfectum Stable is the home of another New Zealand-bred star in Big Easy, also trained by Laxon.

Karaka Premier Sale graduate Sonny - Itmaybeyou (Howbaddouwantit x Julie's Sailboat) finished in third spot. Sold by Fairdale Stud in 2004 for NZ$22,500, he was also bought by Bruce Wallace. 

The second leg of the 3YO Challenge Series, the Group 2 event over 1400m, will be held on 30 June.

Kiwi bred, Tom Higgs (Al Akbar x Moon Voy) was also successful on Friday, in the S$125,000 Kranji Stakes A over 1200m. This, the second win in a row for the former New Zealand galloper, brings his tally of career wins to 11.

Hong Kong

The Fairdale Stud bred Our Jet (Jetball x Miss Kryptonite) clocked up his fifth career win in the ninth on the card at Sha Tin, the Class 2 Lusitano Challenge Cup over 1200 metres. Owned by the Happy Fellows Syndicate and trained by Danny Shum the 2003 Ready to Run Sale graduate was able to seal the victory by half a length.

Bought by Carl Gately of Posa's Lodge from Sally's Stables draft for NZ$8,000, he raced three times in New Zealand for two wins before being sent to Hong Kong.

On his debut in Hong Kong, in the same race, former New Zealand galloper Dr Green (Fusaichi Pegasus x Palia) produced a credible third placing.

Bred by Bob Emery, he won two Listed races in New Zealand as well as a host of Group race placings. Magus Equine of Hong Kong purchased the son of Coolmore's Fusiachi Pegasus at the 2004 Karaka Premier Sale for NZ$480,000 from Cambridge Stud's draft.

In the feature of the night, the Class 1 Faculty of Architecture handicap over 1800 metres, promising Karaka Festival Sale graduate Lotzatow (Towkay x Maretto) produced a fast finish to just miss out by a neck to Industrial Success (Bering x Fantastic Flame).

Sold by Little Avondale Stud to Chris Hausman for NZ$7,000 he is by the stud's resident sire Towkay, who is making an impact in Hong Kong with the likes of Class 1 winner Happee Owner (Towkay x Make Up) and the undefeated five time winner, Armada (Towkay x Dance in Time). 

For news and sales information from New Zealand Bloodstock, contact Haylie Martin (haylie@nzb.co.nz or +64 9 2980055).