Seven From Ten for Kiwis at Sha Tin
9 October 2006
New Zealand bred horses again asserted their dominance in Hong Kong yesterday, winning seven of the ten races on the card at Sha Tin.
Race 1
Racing on the dirt track, Brave Knight (Turbulent Dancer x Ricel Bid) and Master Ying (Gilded Time x Tsar's Treasure) started the New Zealand bred wave of success with their quinella in the Class 4 Mei Lam Handicap over 1200 metres.
Brave Knight was bought by Craig Ritchie at the 2001 Karaka Select Sale for NZ$35,000 from Newmarket Lodge Stud while Bruce Wallace secured Master Ying for NZ$90,000 at the 2000 Karaka Premier Sale.
Race 2
Moonglow (Colombia x Kings Bride) and Withallmyheart (Howbaddouwantit x Trapeze) replicated the first quinella taking out the Class 5 Wo Che Handicap (1200m).
Rogerson Bloodstock purchased Moonglow for NZ$10,000 at the 2004 Karaka Festival Sale from his breeders, Paramount Lodge. Second place-getter was another Bruce Wallace purchase, this time for NZ$15,000 from Fairdale Stud at the 2004 Karaka Select Sale.
Race 3
The Geoff and Gayle Levick bred Flying Bishop (Deputy Governor x Healy Ridge) secured his third success in a row with a decisive win in the Class 3 Jat Ming Handicap (1600m). Bought by Bryce Tankard at the 2000 Karaka Select Sale for NZ$37,500, Flying Bishop is trained by Ricky Yiu for Wong Kwan Po.
Race 4
Tony Millard trained the New Zealand bred Salut Beaute (Bin Ajwaad x My First Stars) to win the Class 4 Lung Hang Handicap (1200m) by a half head in a grinding finish.
Race 5
Karaka Premier Sale graduate, Towering Feeling (Faltaat x Miss Tree) won the Class 4 Sha Kok Handicap (1400m) to secure his second win from four starts for trainer, David Ferraris. Australian bloodstock agent, Robert Roulston, bought the four-year-old from Janine Dunlop's Phoenix Park for NZ$80,000.
Race 6
The Paul O'Sullivan-trained Sir Galahad (Kaapstad x Winds of Conquest), who formerly raced as America's Cup in New Zealand, made an instant impact with a win on debut in Hong Kong. He stormed down the outside of the track, leaving the rest of the field standing in the Class 3 Hin Keng Handicap field over 1400 metres.
Bred by Bloomsbury Stud, he was bought by Roger James for NZ$57,500 from the 2004 Karaka Premier Sale.
Race 8
Last season's standout sprinter, the Curraghmore Stud bred All's Well (City on a Hill x A lot of Music), resumed for a close second down the 1000 metre straight in the Group 3 Sha Tin Sprint Trophy. A graduate of the 2001 Ready to Run Sale of two-year-olds, he was bought by Tommy Cheung for NZ$40,000.
Race 10
First Among Equals (Tale of the Cat x Fikra) had no objection to the step up in class with Shane Dye guiding him to a win in the Class 1 Lek Yuen Handicap (1400m). The John and Margot Hooper-bred gelding also gave his trainer, Michael Chang, his first Class 1 victory in Hong Kong. First Among Equals was purchased for NZ$80,000 at the 2002 Karaka Premier Sale from Woodsend Farm.