Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Encountered too good in the G3 Ladies’ Purse for Crawford
The talented Encountered (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) first claimed the G3 HKJC Ladies’ Purse in 2023, and on Sunday at Sha Tin he did it again, delivering trainer Brett Crawford his second win in the race.
It was a remarkable result - Crawford’s first Group victory in Hong Kong at his very first attempt - and he was naturally thrilled with the achievement.
“I could see him making up the ground and I knew he had a good chance, but there was a horse who got just ahead of us and I wasn’t sure if we were going to get him in time,” Crawford told scmp.com.
“It really came down to the wire - it was a great race. I’ve really got to give credit to Karis – he rode a really good race and put a lot of hard work into the preparation. The guys at home have worked really hard on this horse and I can’t thank them enough. It’s a fairy tale start for me – to win a Group 3 in Hong Kong within your first season is really amazing.
“We’ll go one race at a time - I’m pretty sure he will feel this race tomorrow, he’s a horse who takes his racing quite hard. We’ll enjoy the moment and reassess everything tomorrow.”
Winning jockey Karis Teetan reflected warmly on his long-standing relationship with Crawford, which stretches back to his early days in South Africa.
“Myself and Brett, we go a long way back,” Teetan said. “He gave me a chance when I was still young and he taught me a lot, not just about being a jockey, but about being a human being and how to deal with life after you come out of your apprenticeship.
“He’s been a great part of my life and I’m glad that he’s here. He’s continuously giving me support and winning this race for him just means a lot.
“(Encountered’s) form has been good this season. Both of his runs were really good at the Valley. I worked him through the week and I thought it was the best I had felt him in a long time. The horse was happy, felt good – today, the last 50 metres, I needed him and the horse responded well.”
Sadly, the race was marred by the incident involving Cap Ferrat (Snitzel), last season’s Hong Kong Derby winner, who was pulled up after bleeding. The talented galloper will now miss the Longines Hong Kong International Races.
Encountered is a half-brother to Royal Scotsman (Ire), a dual Group winner who was placed in both the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Dewhurst Stakes, and now stands at stud in France. He was purchased by Suzanne Roberts for 160,000 guineas (AU$339,200) at the 2020 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 1).
John Size bags a Sha Tin treble
Thirteen-time Hong Kong champion trainer John Size roared back to form at Sha Tin on Sunday, notching a treble with Sight Hermoso (Headwater), Ka Ying Power (Brazen Beau), and Szeryng (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) all saluting the judge.
True to form, Size has taken a patient approach this season - recording just two wins and 19 placings from the first 18 meetings - but he showed why he’s the benchmark, with three classy victories across the card.
“Normally, as you’ve probably read 1000 times, we have slow starts to seasons but as long as we get going eventually, that’s the main thing,” Size told scmp.com.
The promising Szeryng was a particularly stylish winner, leaving the trainer optimistic about his future.
“He’s showing some promise,” Size said. “He’s still in the lower classes. As he gets a bit higher in grade, we’ll have a better guide to see where he’s going.”
Four-year-old Sight Hermoso kick-started Size’s day with a convincing victory in the HK$1,170,000 (AU$231,000) Class 4 Grace One Handicap over 1000 metres under Brenton Avdulla.
“He ran very well, didn’t he? It was a convincing win,” Size said.
Ka Ying Power then made it back-to-back wins for the stable, taking out the HK$875,000 (AU$172,800) Class 5 Kate Tokyo Handicap over 1400 metres, with Size full of praise for jockey Keith Yeung Ming-lun.
“Keith managed him very well. He was a little bit keen early but in the straight, when he asked him to go, he went like he wanted to win the race,” Size said of Ka Ying Power.
“He doesn’t like the whip much, but Keith still got him to gallop and he did a good job.
“He seems to be racing a little bit better and in that class, he might win again. He’s still only a lightly weighted horse, so we’ll see if we can get another one.”
John Size | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
U S Navy Flag and Almanzor claim doubles
There were also strong results for two New Zealand-based stallions, with U S Navy Flag (USA) and Almanzor (Fr) each siring winning doubles on the Sha Tin card.
Trainer Dennis Yip Chor-hong enjoyed a brace courtesy of Super Love (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) and Thriving Brothers (Ire) (U S Navy Flag {USA}).
Super Love went one better than his last-start second to The Auspicious (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) when scoring for Hugh Bowman in the HK$1,170,000 (AU$231,000) Class 4 Elizabeth Arden Handicap over 1400 metres. In the following race, Thriving Brothers caused a major upset at big odds to claim the HK$1,860,000 (AU$367,200) Class 3 Neogence Handicap also over 1400 metres.
U S Navy Flag now stands permanently at The Oaks Stud in New Zealand at a fee of NZ$12,500 plus GST.
Meanwhile, Cambridge Stud’s Almanzor also enjoyed a successful afternoon. The Auspicious won the HK$1,170,000 (AU$231,000) Class 4 La Estephe Handicap over the mile distance for Francis Lui and James Orman, while Szeryng (NZ) added to his record with victory under Zac Purton - contributing to John Size’s treble.
The Auspicious has now notched three wins up to 1600 metres. He was purchased by Enigma Farm for $25,000 at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Szeryng is now a dual winner at 1200 metres. He is out of Choctoc (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}), a winning half-sister to the Listed winner Lil Miss Swiss (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}). He was purchased by Patrick Payne for NZ$150,000 from the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka National Yearling Sale.
Almanzor stands at Cambridge Stud at a fee of NZ$30,000 plus GST.
