Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
The day's main race being held on the all-weather track was always going to suit the Mark Newnham-trained Sing Dragon (Written Tycoon) who has a proven affinity with the surface, this latest success his fourth from five starts on the “Sha Tin dirt.”
Recording his first win for the season, the 5-year-old held off a late challenge along the rails by his stablemate Full Credit (Va Pensiero).
“They both had a good chance and it finished that way,” Newnham told the media.
“They both had nice light weights and were drawn next to each other in the gates. The only difference was Sing Dragon’s got established form on the all-weather, but Full Credit showed he can handle it well.”
“They are both nice horses and it was a good result.”
Bred by Woodside Park Stud and Iskander Racing and Breeding, Sing Dragon raced as Operative in Australia, winning two of his five starts for the Chris Waller stable.
A $900,000 purchase for Tom Magnier at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, he was secured by City Gold Bloodstock for $230,000 via Inglis Digital in February last year.
Bred on the successful Written Tycoon/Redoute's Choice cross, he is a son of the city winner Secret Doubt (Not A Single Doubt) whose dam Covertly (Metal Storm {Fr}) won the G1 Railway S. in Perth.
Mark Newnham | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
The dam of unraced Written Tycoon 2 and 3-year-olds in the Maher and Begg stables, Secret Doubt foaled an Anamoe filly in mid-August, last year producing a colt by Home Affairs.
Big success from five runners
Mark Newnham, whose treble and quinella came from just five runners, also claimed the following race with Talents Ambition (Into Mischief {USA}) who enjoyed his second success from nine starts.
Bred by Armitage Australia, he raced twice as Burling for the Cody Morgan stable. After putting in the big strides to win at big odds at his Tamworth debut in April last year, he was sent out favourite at that same track at his next start and was again impressive.
His imported dam Spirit Of Ecstasy (USA) (Congrats {USA}) is a half-sister to two USA stakes winners and to the dam of the European Horse Of The Year Roaring Lion (USA). She foaled a Better Than Ready colt in August and a Harry Angel (Ire) colt last year.
Rounding off Newnham's memorable day was My Wish (Flying Artie) who has been in flying form this season winning three of four.
“He has shown good improvement at each start,” Newnham said, keen to congratulate Luke Ferraris on his ride. “From a wide gate, he couldn’t have got into a better spot. That shows confidence in the horse and being able to get the job done.”
“The horse is very progressive and doing all the right things,” Newnham continued. “He is getting up there to a rating which would suggest that the Classic Mile is a good target for him.”
Bred in New South Wales by J Langridge, My Wish went to Hong Kong off a trial win at Beaumont Newcastle in September last year. He is the first foal for the Tuncurry maiden winner Set The Tone (Reset) who foaled a full brother to him in October. She hails from the same family as the G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner Headway (Charge Forward).
Newnham's treble sees him sit second in the trainers premiership and he is understandably delighted.
“Absolutely super. We came with not a lot of runners, but we did have genuine chances all day and it couldn't have gone better,” he enthused.
“One thing that has been really consistent from day one of the season is that our horses have raced well every week. We haven't hit any real slumps yet and naturally with the ratings system that will happen at some stage. But we still have some unexposed horses and hopefully they fill the gaps when the others have found their level.”
“I probably haven’t got a big enough spread of horses to make any real threat, but if we keep as consistent as we have been from the start of the season to the finish, we'll end up in a good spot.”
Double for Bowman, treble for Ho
Talents Ambition was part of a double for Hugh Bowman who also steered home the Danny Shum-trained Reliable Profit (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}). It was a third win in a row for the tough grey who was bred by Gerry Harvey.
The final foal for the Canterbury winner Oh So Royal (Danzero), he is one of her nine winners, her best being the G1 Railway S. winner Julius (NZ) (Swiss Ace).
Another jockey in great form at the meeting was Vincent Ho who landed a treble, giving him great confidence as he has another crack at the International Jockeys Championship at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
The first homegrown Hong Kong jockey to take out that series, he currently sits third on the premiership behind Zac Purton and Hugh Bowman and is only the 11th jockey to ride over 600 winners in Hong Kong.
The first of his three winners was the impressive Chris So-trained debutant The Boom Box (Spirit Of Boom) who had good support in the betting on the back of good trial form.
“I think he is a good horse,” So said, noting that an outside barrier draw did have him worried.
“We wanted to lead but we had not choice but to take him back. But he's got a big heart and he got a smooth run and a good ride.”
Bred by Canning Downs, The Boom Box was an $85,000 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for WBF Thoroughbreds and Pinhook Bloodstock. Sold to Hong Kong off the back of two Hawkesbury trial victories for Blake Ryan, he is out of the stakes-placed multiple city winner Token Of Love (Al Maher).
His family is certainly an international one, The Boom Box able to claim amongst his relations a Swiss Horse Of The Year, a Champion Miler in Uruguay and stakes winners in Japan, Ireland and India!
Vincent Ho's second winner Vulcanus (Lean Mean Machine) enjoyed his first victory, breaking through at his 15th start for the Me Tsui stable.
Bred by Colleen and Kevin Bamford, he was purchased by SB Bloodstock for $16,000 at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and by A Value Consulting for $45,000 via an Inglis Digital Sale in August last year.
Carrying close up crosses of Encosta De Lago and Redoute's Choice, he headed to Hong Kong after a Warwick Farm trial victory in July last year. He is one of the five winners for his three-time winning dam Fair Choice (Redoute's Choice) from the family of the tough stayer Grey Song (Unbridled's Song {USA}).
Two wins in a week for Healthy Healthy
Backing up from a Happy Valley win last Wednesday, Healthy Healthy (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) was another winner for Ho.
The Pierre Ng trained 5-year-old gave the jockey a good feel throughout.
“He was actually a bit fresh, that’s why he pinged the gate and was up there on the speed. He has rarely raced at Sha Tin, so I think he really enjoyed the change of environment.”
Bred by Beaufort Downs, he was purchased by KL Lo for NZ$160,000 at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale. He is the second foal and first winner for the winner Spritz (NZ) (Thorn Park) whose dam is a granddaughter of the Wrightson Southern Filly Of The Year Seamist (NZ) (Beaufort Park {USA}).
Meanwhile the other winner for Hugh Bowman was the Ricky Yiu trained Dragon Joy (NZ) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) who was able to break through at his sixth start. Bred by the Moore family, he is out of a half-sister to the G1 ATC Derby hero Jon Snow (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}).
Bowman was pleased striking form, noting that it “had been a frustrating month but, in saying that, there was only two or three meetings where I really went home thinking 'what's wrong?’”
“The other times, even if I wasn’t riding winners, I was riding placings,” he said as he looks forward to Wednesday night. “The IJC is going to be more determined by the horses that are drawn, I know I can do the job if I'm on the right horses.”
Winners for David Hayes and David Hall
Another Australian jockey in the winners circle was Zac Purton who draws closer to breaking the Hong Kong record of number of winners held by Douglas Whyte.
His success came aboard the David Hayes-trained Precision Goal (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) who has been quite the bargain for connections having been secured for only NZ$6610 via Gavelhouse Online Sale in June 2019.
Bred by Nearco Stud, he is one of the six winners for the stakes-placed Miraculous Miss (Exceed And Excel) whose triple Listed-winning daughter Avisto (NZ) (Tavistock) produced the dual Group 3 winner Annavisto (NZ) (Reliable Man).
“He did a good job,” David Hayes reported. “At the 600 metres, Zac thought he was going to win by 4l. At the 200 metres, he thought he was going to get beaten by a neck!” Hayes said.
Another Australian trainer cheered home a winner, David Hall with Aca Power (Zoffany {Ire}), an 8-year-old who has now won five races, four of those over the 1200-metre trip on the Sha Tin dirt.
“He is consistent and he loves this surface,” Hall said.
Racing as Keen Power for the Matthew Dunn stable, the gelding was in the quinella at all four Australian starts, winning races at Ballina and Murwillumbah before a couple of Randwick seconds in Highway events.
Bred in Queensland by J Buchanan, Aca Power is the only named foal produced by the city-placed winner Lavender Bay (Magnus), a descendant of Denise's Joy (Seventh Hussar {Fr}).
