Cover image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
New Zealand-bred 4-year-old Snowalot (NZ) chalked up three firsts in winning Sunday’s Class 4 at Sha Tin over 1200 metres.
Not only did his debut run result in an impressive victory, the bay gelding also provided New Zealand trainer Paul O’Sullivan with his first winner for the season and gave Mapperley Stud’s rising star sire Contributer (Ire) his first Hong Kong winner.
Snowalot only gained a berth in the race late with the scratching of Awesome Treasure (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}). Champion jockey Zac Purton picked up the mount and gave the 4-year-old a gun ride from gate two before angling into the clear on straightening.
The bay produced a good turn of foot from the 200 metres to race on by his rivals, in a manner suggesting there’s plenty more to come for the late comer to racing.
“He’s the first new horse I’ve lined up this season, he showed plenty in New Zealand before he came up here – we bought him as a yearling,” O’Sullivan said in a post-race interview.
Snowalot (NZ) as a yearling
“Given the fact that I don’t have a good record with first starters in Hong Kong, there is probably plenty of improvement left in him,” he said.
For Mapperley Stud it was a first for their leading sire Contributer, who has been described as one of the most thrilling racehorses of his generation.
A former Champion Australian Middle-Distance Horse of the Year, Contributer is recognised as the best-performed son of High Chaparral (Ire) standing at stud in New Zealand.
Contributer (Ire) | Standing at Mapperley Stud
The Champion Second Season Sire in New Zealand by winners, total wins and earnings, is set to cover a full book of mares for 2021.
TDN AusNZ caught up with Mapperley Stud's Simms Davison to talk about the significance of a Hong Kong winner for the stallion.
“It's just an amazing boost for him, a huge plus to get his first winner in Hong Kong. They are often a bit cautious with new sires in Hong Kong; this puts his name right up there in the Asian market,” Davison said.
"They are often a bit cautious with new sires in Hong Kong; this puts his (Contibuter's) name right up there in the Asian market." - Simms Davison
“He’s had such a fantastic start here it’s been phenomenal, and the two stakes winners in Australia with Lion’s Roar and Llanacord, so it just builds on that,” he said.
Snowalot is a product of the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale Book 1 – where he was picked up at the bargain price of NZ$40,000 by Wexford Stables from his vendor Jamieson Park, having amassed two times his purchase price from his first win here. He is out of the Peintre Celebre (USA) mare Snowdonia (GB).
“Yes, he was a cheap buy for the good type that he was, as the stallion had not yet taken off by then,” Davison said.
“And full marks to the O’Sullivans for selecting him and recognising the stallion’s potential early on. Lance (O’Sullivan) had a huge wrap on him the way he had trialled up over here; he said he was the best he had in his yard,” he added.
Simms Davison with Contributer (Ire) | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Snowalot's win in Hong Kong capped off a great weekend for Mapperley Stud with Age Of Chivalry (NZ) (He's Remarkable {NZ}) winning the G3 Chatham S. at Flemington.
“Yes, that’s the second stakes winner for He’s Remarkable, so it’s been a great weekend for the Stud,” he said.
Star Turn from Cordyceps Six
Without doubt the upset of the day was the win by Cordyceps Six (Star Turn), who simply destroyed his opponents in a runaway victory in the Class 3 over 1000 metres, under Jerry Chau for Richard Gibson. In doing so he burst the bubble on boom galloper Nervous Witness (Star Witness), who was aiming for three straight wins, but was even denied second spot by the 68-1 outside Run Run Cool (Written Tycoon).
Cordyceps Six is from the Sledmere Stud Draft of the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale where he sold for $140,000.
He is from the unraced Hinchinbrook mare Sandcastles, who has plenty of black type on her page going back to the fourth dam Heat Of The Moment (Blazing Saddles) - the Top Filly in the 1985/86 Australian 3-Year-Old Classification.
Sunday’s victory in a slick 55.25s for the 1000 metres, gave the 3-year-old three wins from his six starts, and over HK$2.1 million (AU$364,000) in prizemoney.
Cordyceps Six as a yearling
Sunday’s feature the G3 Sa Sa Ladies Purse over 1800 metres was taken out by the former Australian galloper Tourbillon Diamond (Olympic Glory {Ire}), who got the stride in and the head down at the right time for Frenchman Alexis Badel, in a thrilling three-way finish.
The Danny Shum-prepared 5-year-old posted only his second win in Hong Kong from 12 starts, but has placed on five other occasions, all by narrow margins and he has picked up over HK$8.3 million (AU$1.44 million) in stakes money to date.
Formerly racing as Eric The Eel in Australia, at his best he ran third in the G1 Australian Derby (2400 metres). He is by Olympic Glory (Ire) from the Montjeu (Ire) mare Modave (NZ) and was originally bought for a song, when he was knocked down to Neil Douglas for just $7000, from the Arrowfield Stud Draft at the 2018 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.
Master gives Derby impression
Another eye catcher from an early Hong Kong Derby viewpoint was the gutsy win by Master Delight (Rubick) for John Size in the Class 3 over 1600 metres under Joao Moreira.
The punters that took the short odds would have been edgy before the turn when the 4-year-old, a half-brother to Aquis stallion Pierata, was back near last and under the hammer, before then running into traffic problems. However, once he found clear running the gelding really hit his stride to hit the line for an impressive win.
Racing in Australia as Jet Propulsion, the bay gelding placed third in the G2 Stan Fox S. at Rosehill and was only 3.1l away in the G1 Australian Guineas at Flemington.
Purchased for $900,000 at the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by Tom Magnier and Ciaron Maher Bloodstock, he is out of the Flying Spur mare November Flight, herself a Group 3 winner of the STC Millie Fox.
