Written by Trent Masenhelder
Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
It was a big day for Australasian stallions in Hong Kong on Sunday, with Coolmore’s Starspangledbanner and Fastnet Rock, as well as Sweynesse, who stands at Novara Park in New Zealand, all siring a Group 2 winner at Sha Tin.
Starspangledbanner’s victory came courtesy of Beauty Eternal, who touched off Beauty Joy (Sebring) in the G2 Jockey Club Mile.
Trained by John Size, Beauty Eternal was bred in Australia by Peter Raftopoulos. He was consigned by Fernrigg Farm at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Highway Session, where prominent bloodstock agent John Foote bought him for $90,000.
Beauty Eternal is out of the winless mare Ithacan Queen (NZ) (Savabeel), who has also produced the stakes performer Love Sensation (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).
Straight Arron handed Fastnet Rock his 404th stakes victory when he took out the G2 Jockey Club Cup.
The Caspar Fownes-trained gelding is from the stakes performer Imperial Lass (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and was bred by Torryburn Stud. He realised $270,000 at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, with Chris Waller, who trained him to win last year’s G3 ATC Carbine Club S., buying him.
Second behind Straight Arron was Sword Point (American Pharoah {USA}) and he too was trained in Australia by Waller. The gelding won twice in Sydney and placed third in the 2022 G2 Tulloch S.
Sweynesse’s banner horse Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) won his first race this time in, leaving it late before collaring a game Victor The Winner (Toronado {Ire}) in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint.
Lucky Sweynesse is out of the Listed winner Madonna Mia (NZ) (Red Clubs {Ire}) and was consigned by Woburn Farm at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale. He was bought by J & I Bloodstock for NZ$90,000. Woburn Farm will offer his half-brother by Contributer (Ire) as Lot 116 at this week’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.
Starspangledbanner sits second behind Deep Field in the Hong Kong Sires’ Premiership. Fastnet Rock is sixth and Sweynesse ninth.
Japan
Namur lands maiden top-tier success
A late jockey change mattered little, as Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) proved too good in Sunday’s G1 Mile Championship at Kyoto on Sunday.
The 4-year-old was due to be ridden by Ryan Moore, but after he sustained a back injury in a fall earlier in the day, he was replaced by Kota Fujioka after
Namur’s victory was her first at the elite level.
She is from the Grade 3 placegetter Sambre Et Meuse (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), making her a half-sister to the Grade 3 scorer Ravel (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}). Sambre Et Meuse is a half-sister to last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Marche Lorraine (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}). This is the family of the eight-time winner and multiple Listed victress Kyoei March (Jpn) (Dancing Brave {USA}).
Two-year-old stakes winner for Maurice
Arrowfield Stud’s shuttler Maurice (Jpn) registered an international stakes double on Saturday. Moments before Genzano claimed the G3 Spring S. at Newcastle, 2-year-old colt Strauss (Jpn) was victorious in the G2 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S.
A Northern Farm homebred out of the Group 1 heroine Blumenblatt (Jpn) (Admire Vega {Jpn}), 2-year-old Strauss is a half-brother to the Listed victress Voller Blute (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}).
Strauss (Jpn) by Arrowfield Stud's Maurice (Jpn) was victorious in the G2 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. | Image courtesy of Masakazu Takahashi
Strauss is related to this year’s G2 Roman Consul S. winner King’s Gambit (I Am Invincible).
