Kiwis Take Hong Kong Feature Trifecta

New Zealand horses joined forces to secure a trifecta in the feature at Sha Tin yesterday with Ever Bright (Cape Cross x Anna's Choice by Vice Regal) taking top honours in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2400m) for the second year in a row.

Chequers Stud sold Ever Bright at the 2004 Karaka Premier Sale to Ginger Tankard's Waikato Bloodstock 2000 Ltd for NZ$115,000. Racing just three times in New Zealand before heading to Hong Kong, the Paul O'Sullivan-trained five-year-old has now won six of his 14 starts.

Fellow Kiwis Go Johnny Go (Kaapstad x Font by Canny Lad) finished almost three lengths behind in second, with Growl (Montjeu x The Lions Roar by Western Symphony) a further three-quarters-of-a-length back in third.

Five-year-old gelding Go Johnny Go, bred and formerly trained by Mr & Mrs Andrew Campbell of Masterton, has notched up three wins and five placings to date for trainer Ricky Yiu.

Karaka Premier Sale graduate, Growl, produced his best performance in Hong Kong yet with yesterday's run. Purchased by Mr B K Ma for NZ$360,000, he raced from David Hayes' stable in Australia before heading to Hong Kong. His successful Australian stint saw him win the Group 2 Winning Edge Presentations Stakes (2400m) and, in his last race there, finish second to Desert War in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) ahead of Aqua d'Amore.