Karaka Graduates Steal the Show in Hong Kong

Karaka graduates have kept up their momentum in Hong Kong and were the toast of the turf last night at Sha Tin winning eight races of the 11 race card.

The feature of the Sha Tin meeting was the HK$1.2 million Class 2 Reunification Cup (1400m) which was won by the New Zealand bred Real Specialist (Storming Home x There's No Doubt).

Trained by John Size and raced by Kenneth Lau Ip Keung & Judy Lau Yap Ai Ai, the four-year-old has been racing in good form this season, contesting races such as the HK-1 Hong Kong Derby, and has won four of his nine starts this campaign and placed in a further three.

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Real Specialist wins the Class 2 Reunification Cup.
Photo courtesy of the HKJC

Purchased by Waikato Bloodstock from Curraghmore Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2009 Karaka Select Sale for $90,000, Real Specialist came into last night's race hot off a win in the Class 2 Viva Pataca Handicap (1800m) late last month and has now won over $650,000.

Trainer Francis Lui celebrated a Karaka graduate double last night winning the first two races on the card with Fiery Whisperer (Shinko King x Bermuda) claiming the two-year-old race and General Danroad (Danroad x Milled Dollar) winning the second on the card.

Offered by Te Runga Stud at last year's Karaka Festival Sale, Fiery Whisperer is raced by Yeung Sing Tung, Janice Yeung Wah Kei & Sheung Chi Wai. The two-year-old made his debut in late June running second by a short head before taking his first win last night by half-a-length at just his second appearance.

Lui brought up the double in the second with the seasoned Hong Kong performer General Danroad, a $12,000 purchase from Chequers Stud at the 2007 Carnival Sale, who claimed the third win of his career in the Class 5 New Territories East Plate (1000m).

Trainer Derek Cruz also celebrated a winning double in the meeting with Karaka graduates. The fourth race on the card saw Alp's Glory (Postponed x Kinjinette), a $110,000 purchase by Mr P Chu & Mr D Shum from Twin Pines at the 2009 Karaka Select Sale, break his maiden in the Class 5 Kowloon West Handicap (1400m) for his owner Philip Chu Yin Kam.

Cruz then claimed the last race of the meeting with Wrath of Fire (Bahhare x Pesky) who took the fourth race of his career in the Class 3 Racing Goes On Handicap (1800m) by a head. A consistent performer, the four-year-old ran a good race in the HK-3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2400m) two starts ago, his first appearance at stakes level.

Wrath of Fire is raced by Chow Chu May Ping and was purchased by T&V Infinity Investment Trust from Rich Hill Stud as a weanling at the 2008 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale for $16,000. He has now won over $365,000 in stakes.

Danny Shum, trainer of the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes winner and Karaka graduate Little Bridge, continued his highly successful season winning the fifth with Owner's Pride (Barely a Moment x Opononi).

Offered by Charisse Lodge at the 2010 Ready to Run Sale, Owner's Pride was making his race debut last night for his owners the HK Racehorse Owners Assn Syndicate and proved too good in the Class 4 Hong Kong Island Handicap (1200m) winning by three-quarters-of-a-length.

The Anthony Millard trained Lucky Record (Exceed and Excel x Miss Krovanh) secured a double for New Zealand Bloodstock's Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs with victory in the Class 3 High Autonomy Handicap (1200m).

A $240,000 purchase from Lyndhurst Farm at the 2009 Ready to Run Sale, Lucky Record claimed the third win of his career last night by three-quarters-of-a-length for his owners William Ching Hon Kuen & Raymond Ching Wei Man.

Lucky Record won fresh up this campaign winning by three-lengths and has proven a consistent performer at Class 3 level in Hong Kong earning over $260,000 in stakes.

Capping off a successful weekend for his sire Ishiguru who sired the Listed Caloundra Cup winner Shenzhou Steeds, Nice Folks (ex Riaineoin) put together back-to-back victories last night in a Class 3 1400 metre race.

Trained by Michael Chang and raced by So Wing Keung, the five-year-old has won four races in Hong Kong from 22 appearances with a further four placings. Purchased by Roger James from Chequers Stud for $45,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2008 Karaka Select Sale, Nice Folks has won just shy of $430,000 in stakes.

To view the full set of results from Sha Tin last night, click here.