Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Patch Of Theta aimed at G1 Stewards’ Cup
Trainer Francis Lui will aim 5-year-old gelding Patch Of Theta (Zoustar) at the G1 Stewards’ Cup on January 19, after he won the G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup on New Year’s Day. Patch Of Theta was coming off a last start win and jockey Karis Teetan settled in sixth before bolting clear to win by 1.8l over Drombeg Banner (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) with Green ‘N’ White (Smart Missile) in third. They ran the 1400 metres in 1:20.91.
“He showed he’s a really honest horse and he keeps improving every time. After the race, he (Teetan) told me the horse was very good and he’s got a third gear, not a second gear. Of course, we’ll think about trophy races. Now he can run between 1400 metres and 1600 metres, next time we will think about the Stewards’ Cup,” Lui said.
Patch of Theta has done all his racing in Hong Kong and this was his first black type win. He’s won six of his 14 starts with earnings over HK$11.1 million (AU$2.3 million). Sold by Edinburgh Park at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $550,000 to the Hong Kong Jockey Club, he was sold for HK$8.6 million (AU$1.8 million) at the 2023 Hong Kong International Sale.
He becomes the 61st stakes winner for Zoustar, and he is one of three winners for Listed VRC Streets Ice Cream S.-placed Fortune Of War (General Nediym) who has a Lonhro yearling colt. She has also produced Listed placed Spoils (Snitzel), and Fortune Of War is a half-sister to five stakes winners, who are Group 2 winner Setorious (Galileo {Ire}), dual Group 2 winner Pretty Brazen (Brazen Beau), Group 3 winner Dollar For Dollar (High Chaparral {Ire}), Group 3 winner Pretty Amazing (American Pharoah {USA}), and Group 3 winner Clifton Red (Sebring). That quintet are out of stakes-placed winner Pretty Penny (Encosta De Lago) who won six races and ran second in the G3 WW Cockram S.
Size to target Meyden for G3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy winner
John Size is contemplating travelling G3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy winner 5-year-old gelding Howdeepisyourlove (Deep Field) to Meydan for the G1 Al Quoz Sprint. Ridden by Zac Purton, Howdeepisyourlove worked hard to run down favourite Magic Control (Sioux Nation {USA}) and win by 0.2l with Beauty Waves (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) in third. They ran the 1000 metres in 56.16s.
“He did the job well, it was a pretty impressive effort, actually, to get the leader (Magic Control) down, he’s a hard horse to get past and he did the job very well. I couldn’t expect any more from him,” Size said.
“He’s made small improvement along the way, his pattern changed a little bit and his tracks have changed – he’s come to Sha Tin and run well – and as he’s gone up in class, he hasn’t looked anything flash but he’s always been there to do the job. Today, he got one of the rewards he’s entitled to. I’ll see how he is after the race at home and see what our options are and how he pulls up but that’s a straight race so that opens up a possibility for him.”
Second to Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) two starts ago in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint, this was the first stakes win for Howdeepisyourlove, who becomes Deep Field’s 37th stakes winner. Howdeepisyourlove has won six of his 25 starts with earnings over HK$16 million (AU$3.3 million).
He is the second foal of four-race winner My Shabelle (Haradasun) whose first foal, The Impact (Zoustar) is a winner. She’s been unlucky at stud, missing or slipping every year since Howdeepisyourlove and has a colt by Astern this season. This is the family of Listed winner and G1 Blue Diamond S.-placed Seidnezar (Rory’s Jester) and his full brother Listed winner Real Jester.
Purton’s treble and Ho’s double
Zac Purton continues to ride winners in Hong Kong, adding a treble on New Year’s Day with Howdeepisyourlove as well as Frankie Lor’s Legend St Paul’s (NZ) (Tivaci) and Jamie Richards trained Storming Dragon (Star Turn).
Vincent Ho returned from injury to ride a double on unbeaten The Boom Box (Spirit Of Boom) and Devas Twelve (Headwater). “It’s been really tough the past few weeks, but I’m grateful to be riding him today,” Ho said about The Boom Box.
“We wanted him to relax early to teach him the right way for the future when we might step him up and he’s got a great turn of foot and showed bravery between horses, so he’s on the right path.”
The Boom Box is unbeaten in two starts and has earnings over HK$1.3 million (AU$270,000). The 4-year-old gelding was sold by Canning Downs at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $85,000 to WBF Thoroughbreds and Pinhook Bloodstock. He is the second foal of G2 Matriarch S.-placed Token Of Love (Al Maher) whose first foal, Token Capitalist (Capitalist) is a winner who ran fourth in the G2 Callander-Presnell S. She has an unraced 3-year-old gelding named Fairfax Diamond (Written Tycoon) and a 2-year-old filly named Token Of Barty (Pierata). She missed the last two years.
