Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
On May 1, 2016, champion Australian sprinter Chautauqua (Encosta De Lago) produced an in incredible last-to-first win in the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize.
A good 10l off the leaders as they swung for home, ‘The Grey Flash’ stormed down the centre of the Sha Tin track under Tommy Berry to score a breathtaking victory.
Exactly two months later, at the same course, Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal {USA}) – a debutant from the Tony Cruz yard – recorded one of the greatest victories ever seen in Hong Kong.
Slow to begin, Pakistan Star was a mile off the lead at the 650-metre mark, prompting race caller Brett Davis to say, “Pakistan Star can’t go with them, he’s three lengths last of all”.
What happened next has to be seen to be believed.
Pakistan Star, under the urgings of Matthew Chadwick, sprouted wings to win the 1200-metre Griffin race (a contest for horses in their first season) and gained immediate cult hero status.
Fast forward six years and another horse made a similar impression to that of Chautauqua and Pakistan Star.
Beauty Joy (Sebring), who raced as Talladega in four unbeaten starts in Australia, conceded his rivals a huge start in Sunday’s G3 The Premier Cup (1400 metres), before displaying a dazzling turn of speed to triumph under Australian jockey Zac Purton.
“Once he got to the 1000 (-metre mark), he was okay – but I was that far off them, I thought the race was over. But he swept into it really nicely, he got there in plenty of time and then he had to fight for the win at the end,” Purton said post-race.
Interestingly, Beauty Joy is also trained by Cruz, who remarked: “Zac said, ‘Tony, the horse seemed very short in his stride, he wasn’t stretching out, but on the turn when I gave him a smack it literally ignited him and he came home 100 miles an hour’.”
Beauty Joy was bred by Impressive Racing and was not offered for sale. Trained by Darren McAuliffe. he raced for a syndicate of owners that included his breeders Impressive Racing, who also raced his mother, G3 WA Oaks heroine Impressive Jeuney (Jeune {GB}).
He is also related to dual Listed-winning mare Key Target (Serheed {USA}).
The highlight of his four wins in Australia was the Listed WATC JC Roberts S. in 2020. Following that performance, he was sold for $1.4 million to Hong Kong to Patrick Kwok, who has enjoyed success with the great Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock), among others.
Diamond sparkles in The Premier Plate
Another Australian-bred horse, who also raced in his country of birth before being exported to Hong Kong, took out the other Group 3 on Sunday’s Sha Tin card.
The Danny Shum-trained Tourbillon Diamond (Olympic Glory {Ire}), who raced in Australia as Eric The Eel, winning four races and running third in the G1 ATC Derby when in the care of trainer Stuart Kendrick, notched his seventh victory.
“The horse is talented, he’s very brave – he’s got a good heart – and he’s a fantastic racehorse. He deserved a win like that, carrying 132 (pounds), I think that’s very impressive,” winning jockey Alexis Badel said post-race.
Tourbillon Diamond (red cap) just holds on in the G3 Premier Plate at Sha Tin on Sunday | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Bred by the Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd and Jungle Pocket Pty Ltd, he was offered by Arrowfield Stud at the 2018 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, where he was bought by Neil Douglas for just $7000.
Following his great run in the Derby, he was sold for an undisclosed sum to clients of Shum in Hong Kong.
“We (Neil Douglas and I) were sitting at the sales and he came in and didn’t get a bid, so we bought him for $7000,” Kendrick said after selling to Hong Kong.
“We (Neil and I) were sitting at the sales and he came in and didn’t get a bid, so we bought him (Tourbillion Diamond) for $7000.” - Stuart Kendrick
Tourbillon Diamond is one of 13 stakes winners for Olympic Glory (Ire), a son of Champion Sprinter Choisir. Champion sprinter-miler Olympic Glory shuttled to Arrowfield Stud for three seasons from 2015.
Tourbillon Diamond is related to stakes winners Vedodara (NZ) (Kreisler {Ire}), Bhandara (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), Sharvasti (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}), Shastri (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) and Balmacara (NZ) (Bassenthwaite {GB}).
Meanwhile, Australian sires Manhattan Rain, Pride Of Dubai, Hinchinbrook (2), Rock ‘N’ Pop, Magnus and Elzaam were also represented by winners on Sunday at Sha Tin.
Star Turn dominates Singapore Group 3
Vinery Stud stallion Star Turn provided a feature-race quinella on Saturday, when Golden Monkey and Silent Is Gold ran 1-2 in Singapore Sprint (1200 metres) at Kranji.
Star Turn | Standing at Vinery Stud
Silent Is Gold was sent off favourite, but it was outsider Golden Monkey that landed the upset, winning by more than 3l under Oscar Chavez for trainer Timothy Fitzsimmons.
“He was fantastic. It was amazing,” Fitzsimmons said after the win.
“He’s a really exciting horse and ran an amazing time.”
Golden Monkey was a $54,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase for Research Bloodstock, from the Byerley Stud draft, who offered him on behalf of his breeder, Howard Blight of Bendaree Park Stud.
Golden Monkey as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
He was offered by Blake Ryan at the 2020 Inglis Ready2Race Sale, but was passed in. Golden Monkey is from dual winner Dixie’s Comet (Northern Meteor).
Silent Is Gold was bought via by the 2021 Inglis June (Late) Online Sale by Hajm & Vaicova Bloodstock for $50,000, after being passed in at the 2020 Magic Millions Yearling Sale when offered by Vinery Stud.
He is related to stakes winners Perignon (Snitzel) and Rubidium (Rubiton).
Silent Is Gold when sold via the 2021 Inglis June (Late) Online Sale | Image courtesy of Inglis
Golden Monkey is the fourth stakes winner for Star Turn, who stands at Vinery Stud for $27,500 (inc GST).
Meanwhile, Australian sires Not A Single Doubt, Star Witness (2), Unencumbered, I Am Invincible, Northern Meteor and Dissident also had a winner/s on Saturday at Kranji.
