Joy And Fun Celebrates Hong Kong Feature Win

New Zealand-bred Karaka graduate Joy And Fun celebrated the biggest win of his career at Sha Tin yesterday, winning The Class 1 ATV Cup (1600m) in the hands of Glen Boss.

Hitting the lead with 200 metres to go, Joy And Fun (Cullen x Gin Player by Defensive Play) staved off a challenge by the Paul O'Sullivan-trained Fellowship (O'Reilly x Mystical Flight by Danzalion) to win by three-quarters-of-a-length. Trained by Derek Cruz this is Joy and Fun's seventh win for his owners, Mr & Mrs Johnny Wong Chun Nam.

Last year Joy and Fun was crowned Hong Kong's Champion Griffin and along with fellow New Zealand-breds Vengeance of Rain, Armada and Medic Power combined to win six of the eight awards at the Hong Kong Jockey Club Champions Awards for the 2006-07 season.

In his last start, the Group 1 HKJC Champions Mile, the four-year-old finished fifth behind 2004-05 Champion Griffin, Good Ba Ba, and ahead of 2005-06 title holder, Floral Pegasus.

Bought at the 2004 National Weanling Sale for NZ$15,000 from Java Lodge, Joy and Fun is a half-brother to recent dual-Group 1 winner in Australia Zarita (Pentire) and Group 2 Concorde Handicap winner Run Like The Wind (Pins).

His sire, Cullen, a son of Danehill and brother to proven sire Danasinga, was a very speedy racehorse with performances including group three wins in Melbourne and an unlucky second in the Gr 1 ARC Railway Stakes. The sire of stakes-winners Nosmo King and Kelly Cullen, he stood at Westbury Stud in Karaka from 2001 until his untimely death in 2005.

Other winning New Zealand-breds on the night included debut winner Bolero (Thorn Park x Red Century by Centaine) in the first race, Pos Trumps (Postponed x Singing Angel by Rahy) in the Class 3 Anchor Show Handicap (1200m), Mutual Friendship (Bertolini x Kincaple Lass by Kaapstad) in the Class 4 2008 Miss Asia Pageant Handicap (1400m) and Booming City (Colombia x Sonja Henee by War Hawk II) in the Class 3 Zebra Online Handicap (1000m).