Written by Alan Carasso
Sunday’s program at Sha Tin is to be conducted exclusively on the dirt track, so with that in mind, we will look at a couple of horses who have tasted success in their young careers on the turf, but are transitioning to the dirt track for the first time.
R7 - Guangzhou H. (C3) (2nd section), HK$1.45m (AU$271,171), 1200m (AWT)
AQUILA
(gelding, 4-year-old, Exceed And Excel x Dreamworker, by Encosta de Lago)
A debut second up the 1000 metre straight course last April, Aquila broke his maiden in his third start on July 10 before getting a break. Though he was rolled as the $1.80 jolly when resuming on September 25, he endured a tough trip and was beaten just over 1l into fourth.
Aquila
Aquila was produced by a winning daughter of Group 2 winner and multiple Group 1-placed Timbourina, whose sire Timber Country (USA) (Woodman {USA}) won the 1994 Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and closed his career with a victory in the second leg of the American Triple Crown, the GI Preakness S. Aquila, who has won two all-weather trials over the recent weeks, was a $160,000 Inglis Easter Yearling purchase turned NZ$280,000 graduate of the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale.
Breeder: Mr M J Alati, Marquee Stud Racing (NSW)
Consignor: Marquee Stud (INGEAS), Lyndhurst Stud (NZBRTR)
Purchaser: Lyndhurst Stud (INGEAS), Johnny Shihi (NZBRTR)
R9 -Guangzhou H. (C3) (1st section), HK$1.45m (AU$271,171), 1200m (AWT)
KA YING MASTER
(colt, 4-year-old, Snitzel x Make Me Dream {Ire}, by Sadler’s Wells {USA})
Ka Ying Master won his lone appearance at three last June and made it two straight on opening day on September 1, but was well beaten last time and was subsequently found to be a roarer.
Ka Ying Master
A NZ$525,000 Karaka yearling purchase, the bay entire-an all-the-way winner of an all-weather trial on October 8 - is a half-brother to the Group-winning Kiss Me Ketut (NZ) (Danroad) and to the stakes-winning duo of A Chance to Dream (Volksraad {GB}) and Fast Love (NZ) (Fastnet Rock). Foreign-bred descendants of Danzig (USA) have accounted for major international dirt winners such as Muarrab (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Rich Tapestry (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).
Breeder: Hong Kong Breeders Club Ltd
Consignor: Highview, agent
Purchaser: Good Harvest Bloodstock
