Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
My Wish claims the G2 Sha Tin Trophy
My Wish (Flying Artie), kept his strong form intact with an impressive win in the G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap over 1600 metres in the hands of Alexis Badel. The Mark Newnham-trained galloper was backing up from his victory in the G3 Celebration Cup over 1400 metres late last month.
The 5-year-old remains on course for his long-term target at the Hong Kong International Races on 14 December as he continued his rise through the grades under trainer Mark Newnham.
Given a brilliant ride by Badel, the Flying Artie gelding sat just behind a strong pace and proved too good by 1.25 lengths, with Copartner Prance (Epaulette) running second and Beauty Joy (Sebring) third.
“I had an awkward gate but we decided to make it simple, not complicated, and he just relaxed,” Badel told hkjc.com. “He was waiting for me to ask him (for an effort) and when I did, he just responded well.”
Newnham was impressed with his gelding and noted how his manners and tractability had improved.
“His race manners have improved as he’s matured,” Newnham told hkjc.com.
“He’s got that good gate speed. He (Badel) had to use him a little bit – the inside runners weren’t going to make it easy for him. But when he got there, he waited and conserved energy.
Newnham went on to suggest that the International meeting will be his plan, but it will be harder at set weights.
Mark Newnham | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“By that stage (Hong Kong International Meeting), we’re meeting more on level weights,” Newnham said. “So, he’s got to continue to improve, but he’s doing the job well and I think there’s enough improvement to see him at that level.”
“... he’s (My Wish) doing the job well and I think there’s enough improvement to see him at that level (Hong Kong International Meeting).” - Mark Newnham
My Wish is the first and only foal to race out of Set The Tone (Reset), who was a winner over 2100 metres. She has a Flying Artie yearling colt and is due to foal to Hawaii Five Oh later this month.
Other top class sprinters that feature in his pedigree include the Group 1 winners Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) and Headway (Charge Forward).
It was the third stakes win for My Wish, who also won last season’s Listed Classic Mile. He was runner-up in the Listed Hong Kong Derby and finished fourth in the G1 Champions Mile in April. My Wish has now won five of his 12 starts with earnings of more than HK$25.7 million (AU$5.1 million), all in Hong Kong.
The win formed part of a double for Newnham, who also saddled Lucky Sam Gor (Press Statement) to victory in the Class 4 Sun Chui Handicap (1400 metres) under Jerry Chau. The gelding recorded his second win in succession.
Hayes caps off a memorable weekend with victory in the last
Following Ka Ying Rising’s (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) incredible triumph in the $20 million G1 The Everest at Randwick on Saturday, it was fitting that trainer of the moment David Hayes collected the final event of the day at Sha Tin - the Class 3 Sha Kok Handicap over 1600 metres with Fortune Boy (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}).
The promising galloper, ridden by Karis Teetan, notched his third career win in a thrilling finish, narrowly defeating Pope Cody (Showtime) and Max Que (Akeed Mofeed {GB}), with the fourth and fifth placegetters also finishing within a length of the winner in a close finish.
“When a horse is unlucky and they still win, they’ve got plenty of room to move and he reminds me a little bit of a young Rubylot,” Hayes told SCMP.
“I just love the way he hits the line. First-time blinkers really worked and he’s a horse that’s going to win more races.
“I think his record is very good, the longer the race the better and he’s in his classic year, so we’re hoping he can run in the better races later on. I think he’s a horse with a lot of upside.”
“... the longer the race the better and he’s (Fortune Boy) in his classic year, so we’re hoping he can run in the better races later on. I think he’s a horse with a lot of upside.” - David Hayes
Fortune Boy is out of the talented Gin Dartre (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}), a five-time winner including the Listed South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes. She also placed in the G2 Travis Stakes, Listed Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes and the Otago Breeders’ Stakes.
This is also the extended family of the Pencarrow Stud-bred and raced mare Insouciant (NZ) (Keeper), winner of the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas.
Bred by Windsor Park Stud, Fortune Boy has now amassed earnings of just over HK$3 million (AU$594,300). He was withdrawn from the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka National Yearling Sale, and trialled once in New Zealand under the name Haymans (NZ) for trainer Kurtis Pertab, winning that trial.
Purton caps off a big weekend with a double
Zac Purton’s remarkable weekend continued as he arrived back from Sydney fresh off his G1 The Everest triumph and landed a winning double to move up to 1899 Hong Kong wins.
The first leg came in the Class 4 Sun Tin Wai Handicap aboard the promising Robot Lucky Star (Hellbent). The Manfred Man-trained 4-year-old broke his maiden in style, sprinting sharply late to score by just under a length from California Blitz (Capitalist), with another son of Hellbent, Straight Glory, running third.
Manfred Man purchased Robot Lucky Star for $240,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale from the Kitchwin Hills draft.
Purton and Man combined again later in the day, this time with Patch Of Stars (All Too Hard) in the Class 3 Lek Yuen Handicap over 1200m. The gelding recorded his fourth win and has now earned more than HK$4.2 million (AU$832,000), all in Hong Kong.
Riversley Park and Michael Guerin originally purchased the All Too Hard gelding for $100,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, before he was successfully pinhooked to KM Yeung for NZ$800,000 at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale.
Earlier celebrations for Ka Ying Rising
Earlier in the day, a ceremony was held to congratulate Ka Ying Rising and his victorious trainer David Hayes and jockey Zac Purton and connections.
Celebratory champagne popping at the ceremony | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Hayes explained to hkjc.com, “We’re very lucky with this horse, he’s incredibly sound. He’s got a great appetite and the constitution of an elephant. He’d recovered within 20 minutes of the race, and if we needed to – which we’re not – you could run him in two weeks. He’s a fantastic horse.
“He’ll be coming home on Monday night and will be in Hong Kong on Tuesday for a couple of easy weeks in quarantine.”
