Written by Alan Carasso
In this ongoing series, we take a look at Australasian-bred horses down to make their initial starts in Hong Kong-horses either unraced (PPG-privately purchased griffins) or previously raced in Australia and New Zealand (PP-private purchases) – in addition to progressive horses returning from a spell.
The horses listed below have been selected based on notable pedigrees, sales history and/or previous racetrack performances. Saturday’s program at Sha Tin features the belated Hong Kong debut of G1 Victoria Derby hero Extra Brut (Domesday), who faces a very salty bunch in the Class 1 Chevalier Cup H. over 1600 metres.
R7-Chevalier Cup H. (C1), HK$2.8m (AU$527,493), 1600m
EXTRA BRUT
(c, 4, Domesday x Dom Perion, by Redoute’s Choice)
Trained in Australia by the team of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Extra Brut won three of his first four career starts, including the Listed Uci S. at Flemington, before beaten as the $2.30 favourite in the G3 Caulfield Classic (2000 metres). That effort was a distant memory when he returned to post a $10 winner in the G1 AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) and backed up a week later to finish a close third in the G1 Mackinnon S. (2000 metres).
Gallery: Extra Brut winning the 2018 G1 AAMI Victoria Derby
A $52,000 graduate of Inglis’s Great Southern Weanling Sale, Extra Brut was purchased for $100,000 out of the 2017 Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling Sale. The bay entire has had three trials in Hong Kong and was to have made his local debut at Happy Valley on November 13 in a Class 2 over the 1650 metres, but that meeting was lost to the ongoing social unrest in the region.
Extra Brut as a yearling
Breeder: A McDonald (Vic)
Consignor: Stonehouse Thoroughbreds, agent (INGGSW); Grange Thoroughbreds, agent (INGSYD)
Purchaser: G Mudgway (INGGSW); Spicer Thoroughbreds (INGSYD)
R1-Chevalier Aluminium Engineering H. (C4), HK$967K (AU$182,166), 1200m
FANTASY
(g, 4, Sizzling x Bon Fire, by Octagonal {NZ})
A September 5 foal, Fantasy is a half-brother to the Group 3-placed Heat of the Fire (Strategic), the dam of Godolphin’s G3 Kindergarten S. hero Furnaces (Exceed And Excel). Bon Fire is herself a half-sister to the stakes winner Cloister (Marauding {NZ}), whose daughter Melito (Redoute’s Choice) won the G1 Winter S. against her peers and defeated the boys in the 2010 G1 T. J. Smith S. Fantasy’s third dam Summoned (Crowned Prince {USA}) was responsible for champion and four-time Group 1 winner Zeditave (The Judge) as well as the dam of South African champion Greys Inn (USA) (Zabeel {NZ}).
A $52,000 purchase out of the 2016 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, Fantasy was prepared for the 2017 NZB Ready To Run Sale and fetched NZ$240,000 from trainer Danny Shum and Henry Plumptre. The bay gelding has trialled well locally, including a runner-up effort over 1200 metres on the all-weather late last month in which Loriz (Smart Missile) - a winner at Happy Valley this past Wednesday - was fifth.
Breeder: Galaxy Breeding Syndicate, Wilkes Thoroughbreds (NSW)
Consignor: Newhaven Park, agent (INGMAY); Curraghmore (NZBRTR)
Purchaser: Hallmark Stud (INGMAY); Danny Shum/Henry Plumptre (NZBRTR)
POWER KING
(g, 4, Written Tycoon x Octangle, by Octagonal {NZ})
Power King was the joint fifth-highest overall lot at the 2017 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale and the most expensive of his sire’s 28 to go under the hammer when selling to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for $500,000. Prepared for the 2019 Hong Kong International Sale (March), he fetched HK$3.7 million (AU$665,468).
Power King as a yearling
An own brother to the listed winner Written Up, Power King hails from the extended female family of Cashier (Danehill {USS}), whose 10 winners from 11 to race include multiple Group winner and G1 Randwick Guineas runner-up Flying Pegasus (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}); and the stakes-placed Thrillpower (Encosta de Lago). The bay was the all-the-way winner of a six-furlong trial over the all-weather track on November 8.
The family has exciting potential coming through, with a VOBIS three-quarter bother to Power King by Newgate Farm’s first season sire Winning Rupert being aimed at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale in 2020.
Breeder: Miss B Douglas, Mr C Morey (Tas)
Consignor: Supreme Thoroughbreds, agent
Purchaser: Hong Kong Jockey Club
R6-Chevalier Healthcare Investment H. (C4), HK$967k (AU$182,166), 1400m
COPARTNER RAPPORT
(g, 4, Eurozone x Red Rhonda, by General Nediym)
An $210,000 acquisition by the Hong Kong Jockey Club at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Copartner Rapport went through the ring during the July iteration of the Hong Kong International Sale, where he realised a final bid of HK$2.7 million (AU$493,241).
An August-foaled chestnut, Copartner Rapport is out of a sister to G3 Maribyrnong Plate hero Ra Sun, winner of the G2 Maribyrnong Plate at second asking in 2002. Further down the page is G1 Salinger S. winner and G1 Golden Slipper third Flavour (Rubiton).
Breeder: N J Nolan (Qld)
Consignor: Noralla Stud, agent
Purchaser: Hong Kong Jockey Club
