A sensational opening meeting of the Hong Kong season at Sha Tin saw eight of the 10 winners bred in either Australia or New Zealand, highlighted by an impressive treble of winners from trainer David Hayes.
David Hayes, Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes
Speaking to TDN AusNZ recently, Hayes said he has targeted a much bigger impact in his second season back, planning to at least double the 32 winners he had in 2020/21. He started out in the best possible manner, with three Australian-bred winners.
Among the horses that Hayes mentioned in his emerging stars for this season was Naboo Attack (Warhead), who raced as Command'n'conquer in Australia, winning five of his seven starts for Queensland trainer Steve Tregea before heading to Hong Kong.
Noboo Attack made a big impression in his first Hong Kong appearance in May, winning a Class 2 race on debut, a relatively rare feat that only a handful of very good horses have been able to achieve. His first appearance of this season saw him win the HKSAR Chief Executive's Cup over 1200 metres, overcoming traffic in the straight to prevail by 1l.
Hayes has his eyes on the G1 Hong Kong Sprint with the son of Warhead.
“Depending on handicapping, I think he’ll still be under 100, so we’ll probably give him one more sprint in about a months’ time and then after that we’ll look to run in the big races,” Hayes told reporters after the race.
“I reckon he’ll get to a mile but if he’s winning at the sprint trips, I’ll just keep him fresh. His two fresh runs have been brilliant. We might try stretching him out after December – (but the Hong Kong Sprint) would be the early target race.
“He’s a horse who can run 1:07 off a hot tempo and that’s good enough to compete in December.”
“He’s (Naboo Attack) a horse who can run 1:07 off a hot tempo and that’s good enough to compete in December.” - David Hayes
He is another remarkable success story from Tregea's Windermere Stud, which has produced a string of top racehorses, including Incentivise (Shamus Award), who won the G3 Tattersall's Cup in emphatic fashion in June and, now with Peter Moody, is one of the leading chances for the major Melbourne spring feature handicaps.
Naboo Attack's sire Warhead was previously a resident at Queensland's Craiglea Stud. The son of Viscount has produced 58 individual winners, with Executed his only stakes winner to date.
Naboo Attack is out of Commanding Queen (Commands), who has also produced Tregea's stakes-placed Conquering Lass (Love Conquers All) and is a half-sister to the trainer's 11-time winner Prioritise (Rothesay).
It's a family which has already had success in Hong Kong through another of Commanding Queen's half-brothers, Dane Patrol (Danewin), who won nine races at Sha Tin. Further back on the page are Group 1 winners Rewaaya (NZ) (Singspiel {Ire}) and stallions Not A Single Doubt and Snippets.
Witness something special
While Naboo Attack's class shone through in his win, he wasn't the most impressive Hayes winner on the day. That went to the debutant Nervous Witness (Star Witness), who cruised to an effortless 3l win over 1000 metres in the Class 4, Lin Fa Shin H.
Bred by Byerley Stud in the Upper Hunter Valley, Nervous Witness trialled once in Australia for Robert Hickmott as Bill's Kick in David Price's red, white and blue colours, winning by 5l at Tatura in January and booking his ticket to Hong Kong.
The $110,000 2019 Inglis Classic Sale buy for Neerim Lodge is now owned by the Da Silva family, who had such great success with Silent Witness (El Moxie {USA}), and he arrived with Hayes in April and has been given time to adjust.
Nervous Witness as a yearling
The 4-year-old son of Star Witness smashed his rivals and the clock, winning in 55.73s and was barely touched by Zac Purton, who rode a double on the day,
“That was pretty easy as you like. Apart from his trial he’s never been let go, so that’s what is so exciting about the horse – he hasn’t been drilled down for the race. You don’t see Zac Purton look around that many times do you," Hayes said after the race.
“That was pretty easy as you like. Apart from his (Nervous Witness) trial he’s never been let go, so that’s what is so exciting about the horse – he hasn’t been drilled down for the race." - David Hayes
“I could have run him last season and I just thought he would be better as a second-season horse with a trial and then a back-off then a build-up. He’ll go through the classes pretty quickly I think, I expect him to win a few in a row.”
Nervous Witness is out of War Pass (USA) mare, Hadiklaim, who was purchased for just $2000 as a broodmare in 2015. Hadiklaim won one of her eight starts for Chris Waller in the colours of Debbie Kepitis' Woppitt Bloodstock. Her half-brother Sky Mascot (Show A Heart) was a four-time winner in Hong Kong.
Lucky makes up for lost time
Hayes' third winner was the only mare in his stable, and the only mare in training at Sha Tin, Lucky Maryknoll (Nicconi). She was unable to win in 14 starts in Hong Kong last season, but broke through on Sunday, claiming a 1.25l victory in the 1200 metre Class 5, Kowloon Peak H.
Bred by Red Star Thoroughbreds, she raced as Earth Song in Australia, winning three of her 10 starts for Waller before heading overseas. She was initially purchased through the 2018 Inglis Scone Yearling Sale for $105,000, before she was then traded for $175,000 through the Inglis Digital platform in May 2020.
Her dam Brookton Flare (Strada) is a half-sister to stakes-placed pair Nieta (Nicconi) and Tumbler (Time Thief) and is from the family of dual Group 1 winner Sincero (Umatilla {NZ}).
The other Australian-bred winner on the card was Californiadeepshot (Deep Field) for Tony Cruz in the Class 2 Tai Mo Shan H. Owned by Chloe Liang, the 5-year-old was a $260,000 purchase for Marie Yoshida's Asian Bloodstock Services at the 2018 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, through the Coolmore Stud draft.
Lucky Maryknoll as a yearling
He was unbeaten in two Kembla Grange runs for Peter and Paul Snowden before heading to Hong Kong, where he has won three times in 17 starts.
One of 11 winners in Hong Kong for Newgate's Deep Field, Californiadeepshot is out of the Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed mare Vormista (Testa Rossa), making him a half-brother to G1 Blue Diamond S. runner-up Reemah (Redoute's Choice).
Quartet of NZ-bred winners
New Zealand-bred Victorious Leader (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}) claimed honours as the winner of the first race of the season, the Class 5 Mount Parker H. for trainer Dennis Yip. He was a NZ$38,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale buy for Paul Moroney from Surrey Farm back in 2015.
Westbury Stud-bred Packing Victory (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) made it two victories from as many starts for Danny Shum in a Class 4 race over 1200 metres, while the Manfred Man-trained Viva Hunter (NZ) (El Roca) was a winner in a 1200-metre Class 4 H., giving his Westbury Stud-based sire his fourth winner from as many runners in Hong Kong.
The other New Zealand-bred winner was Star Performance (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) for Cruz in a Class 3 H. over 1400 metres. The Little Avondale Stud graduate broke a winning drought of over two years.
