Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
One of the three winners steered home by jockey Derek Leung and one of two cheered home by trainer Francis Lui, Patch Of Theta (Zoustar) has won five of his 13 starts and has not been out of the placings.
Bred by Ian Smith, breeder of Hong Kong's star Silent Witness (El Moxie {USA}), the 5-year-old chestnut was purchased by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for $550,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions and by Yeung Kit Ming Angela for HK$8.6 million (AU$1.68 million) at the 2023 Hong Kong International Sale.
“He is a nice horse and I think he still has a little bit more improvement,” Lui told the HKJC. “I think he can go higher than Class 2 but it all depends on the program. There aren't many races coming up for him.”
Bred on a 3 X 3 cross of Encosta De Lago who featured in the pedigrees of six of the 10 winners on the card, Patch Of Theta is one of the three winners for the stakes-placed Fortune Of War (General Nediym), also dam of the Group 3-placed Spoils (Snitzel).
A daughter of the high-class broodmare Pretty Penny (Encosta De Lago), she was served last December by Splintex having foaled a Lonhro colt.
Tam Kwok Wing (right) presents trophy to Francis Lui | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Also in winning form for the Lui stable was Matsu Victor (NZ) (US Navy Flag {USA}) who has been going well this season, winning two of four.
Bred by Cambridge Stud's Lindsay family, he was purchased by Y K Lau for $160,000 at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
He is one of the five winners for the unplaced Lazaan (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), also dam of the stakes-placed Divine Power (NZ) (Power {GB}). A daughter of the triple Group 1 winner Lashed (Encosta De Lago), she visited Sword Of State and US Navy Flag last spring.
Big day for Derek Leung
Meanwhile the other two winners for Derek Leung were Super Wise Dragon (Snitzel) and Alluring Laos (Flying Artie). He has ridden 10 winners so far this season, noting that he is “very happy. I need to thank again the trainers and the owners for their support. Today is very lucky. I got three winners and a placing, I just need to keep it up.”
“It hasn't been smooth the past couple of meetings (with a three-day suspension), but it's in the past. You’ve just got to move on. Things are getting better and it turned out pretty well today.”
It was a breakthrough win for Super Wise Dragon who was purchased by the HKJC for $600,000 at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and by Yip Wing Kui for HK$5.8 million (AU$ 1.13 million) at the 2022 HKJC International Sale.
“He had a bit of a breathing problem when he came to me and he struggled with his breathing a bit at Happy Valley. Today, draw one helped and he performed well,” trainer Cody Mo said.
Bred by Segenhoe Thoroughbreds, Super Wise Dragon is the fifth winner for the stakes-placed Houston Benefactor (Encosta De Lago), a sister to the G2 Bill Stutt S. winner Sovereign Nation from the family of one of Encosta De Lago's best daughters in Princess Coup.
Houston Benefactor's 2-year-old Benevac (Bivouac), a $140,000 Magic Millions graduate, is a member of the Ciaron Maher stable and she foaled a Russian Revolution filly in late October.
Treble for Cody Mo
Super Wise Dragon and Alluring Laos were part of a treble for trainer Cody Mo who also enjoyed success with Offroad Master (NZ) (Time Test {GB}).
“I thought Alluring Laos might run a good race,” Mo said. “He showed some speed in his trials overseas and even in Conghua he chased home well. He's still a bit green and has more room to improve.”
Bred by Greg Pease, Alluring Laos was purchased by Pinhook Bloodstock for $55,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale and by Golden River Investments/All Winners Thoroughbreds for $80,000 at the 2022 Inglis Classic.
He is the first winner for the two-time winner Stevenson (Teofilo {Ire}), a half-sister to the multiple city winner General Jackson (General Nediym) served last spring by Top Ranked (Ire) having foaled an Aclaim (Ire) colt.
“I thought Offroad Master could show something on the all-weather track,” Mo said.
“In his first run he was fourth, which wasn’t bad, and when I saw him trial (on the dirt), I thought he had ability and thought I'd try him on it.”
Bred by Regent Park, Offroad Master ran second in a Cambridge trial under the name of Hayabusa. He is the only foal produced by Freight Train Jane (NZ) (Nadeem) whose dam is a half-sister to the dual Group 3-winning classy broodmare Iguazu (NZ) (Carolingian) from the family of Sacred Falls (NZ).
James McDonald riding high
Also in the winner's circle more than once was James McDonald who celebrated the announcement of his Longines World’s Best Jockey Award with a double; successful aboard Self Improvement (Deep Field) for the Manfred Man stable and Swift Ascend (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) for David Eustace.
“It's a huge honour,” McDonald said of his reward, “and it’s just reflective of all the good horses I’ve ridden. I could almost name it the Romantic Warrior Award, to be honest with you, because he was such a huge contributor.”
“He is obviously a world champion in his own right, so you have to be part of those sort of horses,” he said, also heaping praise on Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock), adding that “I am very proud of my year.”
It was a third Hong Kong win for Self Improvement who raced as Taurids for the Chris Waller stable, winning at Newcastle and the Gold Coast from four starts.
Bred by Alan Bell Racing, he was purchased by Hawkes Racing for $380,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions and by KK Bloodstock for $105,000 from an Inglis Digital sale in January last year.
He is one of the three winners (from as many to race) for the Ballina winner Jerry's Witness (Star Witness), a three-quarter sister to Star Turn. She foaled a filly by Singing (Fr) late last month and an Overshare filly last year.
Swift Ascent in fine form for Eustace
Successful at two of his three starts for David Eustace, Swift Ascend was bred by Arrowfield Pastoral and Hermitage Thoroughbreds and purchased by Ciaron Maher for $900,000 at the 2021 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
He raced three times as Citizenship for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable, winning a Canterbury maiden at debut before seconds at Canterbury and Moonee Valley.
He is one of two winners for the G2 Sweet Embrace S. winner Believe Yourself (Sebring) who has not had much luck at stud of late, her most recent foal being a yet to be named The Autumn Sun 2-year-colt who was purchased by Ballymore Stables Pty Ltd/Catheryne Bruggeman/Paul Moroney Bloodstock for $290,000 at this year's Magic Millions.
Hong Kong debut winners
Another winner for Deep Field was Charming Legend who proved too strong at his local debut having raced twice in Sydney for Les Bridge, winning a super maiden at Kensington and a BM72 Midway at Randwick last winter.
The Danny Shum trained 4-year-old was bred by S F Bloodstock L L C, Hollymount Stud and the Hollymount Trust and purchased by Legend Racing for $550,000 at the 2022 Inglis Classic.
He is one of the four winners (from as many named foals) for the R. Listed Karaka Mile winner Spellbinder (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) who died two years ago with her final foal being the Michael Freedman-trained 3-year-old Correon (Tassort) who just recently won a Kembla Grange maiden at just his second start.
Also kicking off his Hong Kong career in winning style was Hong Lok Golf (Grunt), the Chris So-trained/Harry Bentley-ridden who surprised punters going out at big odds.
Bred by Yulong Investments, he was purchased by John Foote for $60,000 at the 2022 Inglis Premier. He had a number of jump-outs and trials for the Symon Wilde stable under the name of Connors.
He is the second winner for Sky Island (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), a half-sister to the seven time Group winner Maraahel (Ire) (Alzao {USA}). She missed to Written Tycoon last spring having foaled a Lucky Vega (Ire) colt.
It was a domination by southern hemisphere-bred horses at the meeting, the other winner being the Caspar Fownes-trained/Lyle Hewitson-ridden Sky Trust (So You Think {NZ}). Two times a winner and two times runner-up from his four starts this time in, he has done a great having had throat surgery in August.
Bred by Lustre Lodge the descendant of Denise's Joy (Seventh Hussar {Fr}) was sold for $155,000 as a weanling at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, later purchased by K Kwan for $270,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
His Wyong maiden-winning dam Humble (Exceed And Excel) foaled an Artorius colt early last month.
