Cover image courtesy of The Hong Kong Club
My Wish overcomes trouble to win G3 Celebration Cup
Despite being held up in the straight, jockey Luke Ferraris weaved Mark Newnham-trained 5-year-old gelding My Wish (Flying Artie) through runners and once clear, he flew home to win by 1.25 lengths in Sunday night’s G3 Celebration Cup at Sha Tin. Second went to Copartner Prance (Epaulette) with Happy Together (Ire) (Dragon Pulse {Ire}) in third.
“It just seemed like nothing was moving and then half a gap opened – and he’s as gutsy as ever – and I put him in it and he did the rest. He got me out of trouble,” Ferraris told hkjc.com.
“The sky is the limit with him and whatever we throw at him, he takes and does better so it’s really exciting going forward. (Last season) he’s finished a length behind Voyage Bubble and it probably wasn’t his best performance when beaten by Red Lion at the end of last ‘prep’ – which was a tough ‘prep’ – but with a freshen up and now that he’s filled out a bit, I don’t know where the ceiling is.”
It was the second stakes win for My Wish who won last season’s Listed Classic Mile. He was second in the Listed Hong Kong Derby and fourth in the G1 Champions Mile in April. My Wish has five wins from 12 starts with earnings over HK$22 million (AU$4.3 million) and has done all his racing in Hong Kong.
Newnham sets bigger targets
My Wish was the second leg of a double for Newnham, who struck earlier in the day with Lucky Sam Gor (NZ) (Press Statement). But the evening was all about My Wish who will head towards two Group 2 miles before the International meeting in December.
“(My Wish) is a really good, tenacious little horse. He certainly showed today that he’s made improvement from last season and he’s going to be a force the rest of the season. It was actually one of the last things I said to Luke. I said ‘just trust the horse – you know when you need him, he’ll be there’,” Newnham told hkjc.com.
“It did look a little complicated there for a few strides but once he got the gap, he put them away quite well. He’ll have the Group 2 miles – one next month (G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap) and one in November (G2 Jockey Club Mile) – leading into December.”
“It’s a good way to start the season but we’ve still got the A-graders to come yet, so he’s got to improve a little bit more. But I think it’s there.”
My Wish’s speed likely comes from his sire, who won the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and was placed in both the G1 Golden Slipper and G1 Blue Diamond. My Wish's maternal pedigree is loaded with stamina as he is the first foal of Set The Tone (Reset) who won once over 2100 metres. Her only other foal is a Flying Artie yearling colt. She is in foal to Hawaii Five Oh.
Set The Tone’s dam, Celtic Courage (Giant’s Causeway {USA}) won twice of 1800 metres and 2000 metres and also produced MRC Steeplechase winner Don’t Be Shy (Bradbury’s Luck) who won eight times. The third dam, Late Night Fun (Handy Proverb) is a stakes placed half-sister to Group 2-placed Chatelaine (Flying Spur), the dam of Group 1 winners Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) and Headway (Charge Forward).
Written Tycoon gelding compared to Ka Ying Rising
Trainer David Hayes compared Tomodachi Kokoroe (Written Tycoon) to his super sprinter Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) after he broke the class record in race nine, covering the 1200 metres in 1:07.79s. “This season, he’s given me the feeling that he’s really improved and can win in Class 1 now,” Hayes said.
“That time and with the ease he won, is very impressive – that’s Ka Ying (Rising) time. He’ll keep going up in rating. He’s a good horse.” Ka Ying Rising’s course record time for the 1200 metres at Sha Tin is 1:07.20s.
The 7-year-old gelding won six in succession in Cairns and Townsville as Bank Bank Bank before he arrived in Hong Kong in early 2023. His full record is 11 wins from 41 starts with earnings in Hong Kong over HK$11.4 million (AU$2.2 million).
Originally a $175,000 weanling sale by Glastonbury Farms at the 2019 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, he was on-sold through Inglis Digital in 2022 to RC Ludwig for $22,000 who raced him in far north Queensland prior to his shipment to Hong Kong. He is one of four winners for Rainbeam (Fastnet Rock) who had a Red Resistance colt this spring.
Purton back in form with a treble
You can’t keep a champion down, and despite a rare run of 22 rides without a win, jockey Zac Purton bounced back on Sunday night with a treble. He won on Frankie Lor-trained Fun N Fun Together (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), Francis Lui-trained Packing Phoenix (Starspangledbanner), and Jimmy Ting-trained Little Paradise (Toronado {Ire}).
The latter two both made their claims for the important 4-year-old series and the Hong Kong Derby. “Zac Purton rode for me with Little Bridge so it is nice to have this connection again,” Little Paradise's owner Ko Kam-piu told scmp.com. Trainer Jimmy Ting trained a double with Flowing Riches (Denman).
“This horse (Little Paradise) has a lot of quality and as an owner, the target is the 4-year-old series. I need to discuss this with Jimmy, but I don’t think there will be a problem with this horse stepping up to the mile trip.”
Packing Phoenix, who was on debut, will also be aimed at the Derby. “He is a very, very good horse. I think he just needs a bit more experience - the second horse had that experience but mine is a very good horse,” said Lui.
“It’s hard to say (how much improvement is to come). We have to see how he comes back after every run. I think it’s sure he will really improve. Hopefully he’s a horse for the 4-year-old series.”
Little Paradise has won three of his five starts. He was sold by Carramar Park for $270,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale to Dullingham and Legends Bloodstock. His unraced dam, Devil In Her Heart (Star Witness) is a half-sister to three stakes winners, Group 2 winner Olentia (Zoustar), Group 3 winner Wandabaa (Wandjina) and Listed winner Malkovich (Choisir).
Debutant winner Packing Phoenix was sold by Rosemont Stud at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for $560,000 to Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA). He won two trials in New Zealand before heading up to Hong Kong.
Packing Phoenix is the second foal of Kylix (Lonhro), who is a half-sister to Listed winner Barbed (Canny Lad). Kylix was fourth at her only start. Her first foal Miss Mozambique (Astern) has won three races, all at Toowoomba, including two in August this year. She has unraced 3-year-old gelding Yard Of Ale (Exceedance), a 2-year-old colt by Exceedance and a yearling full sister to Packing Phoenix. She is empty in 2025.
Newcomer Crawford opens with a double
South African trainer Brett Crawford, who has won over 1400 races in his homeland, opened his account in Hong Kong with a double on Sunday night. His winners were Speedy Smartie (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}), ridden by Karis Teetan, and Ninja Derby (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), ridden by Lyle Hewitson.
“Amazing day. I couldn’t be happier. I’m obviously very pleased. We’ve had a few horses run really good races so far. As long as we can keep horses running to their form – it’s nice to see a horse like this (Speedy Smartie) first run second and then build on that – that’s the goal for us,” Crawford told hkjc.com.
“Obviously, we (Crawford and Teetan) go back a long time and I think it was over 12 years ago when he had a winner for me, so it’s a fantastic feeling. He’s put in a lot of work and he’s helped me a lot, so for me it’s like a milestone to see him back in the saddle and winning for me. A big thanks to him and his family.”
On Ninja Derby, Crawford said, “Obviously from gate 14 it was a bit of a concern but I must give full credit to Lyle. I thought he rode an absolutely perfect race and gave the horse every chance.”
