Cover image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Speed Dragon adds second Group 3 win
Winner of the G3 January Cup at the beginning of this year, Francis Lui-trained Speed Dragon (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) was given a patient ride by Jerry Chau in Sunday’s G3 Sa Sa Ladies Cup at Sha Tin. Once in clear air, he sprinted home to win the 1800 metre event by a neck from Gentleman Legacy (Showtime) with Massive Sovereign (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) in third.
“My first time riding him today. I trialled him in trackwork and he gave me a very good feeling,” Chau told hkjc.com.
“He’s very mature and he does what he wants and he teaches me how to do it. As you can see in the race, he just led me into the race and he gave me a very good finish. So, I’m very proud of him. I was very lucky. The race was very smooth for me today and we got the job done.”
Lui will aim Speed Dragon at a repeat of his January Cup win.
“I’m very happy. I expected it from him, because last run at Happy Valley, I think he went too soon and I told Jerry, he has to pace him a bit,” Lui said.
“I think the January Cup might be next, but we will see how he goes and then think about his next target. I’m very happy to have a winner, the stable will all be very happy.”
The favourite Sky Jewellery (The Autumn Sun) continued a poor run for favourites in this race with scmp.com reporting that favourites haven’t won the past 12 editions of the G3 Sa Sa Ladies Cup.
Speed Dragon was a winner from four starts in New Zealand when named Keenasabean before heading to Hong Kong where he’s won five more races, two at Group 3 level. He has earnings over HK$13.7 million (AU$2.5 million).
A half-brother to Group 2-placed Luminous (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}), the pair are two of the four winners for Keenly (NZ) (Keeninsky {NZ}) who won three races in New Zealand. Another half-brother Peachy Keen (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) won the Ashburton Cup two starts and raced in the stakes company on Saturday.
Lui made it a double on the card with Young Archer (Street Boss {USA}) who was coming off a last start win at Caulfield back in March when named Melian.
“He’s a nice horse, I wasn’t expecting he could win the race, but most of the horses after they have a barrier trial, it brings up their condition. I think he’s a horse who can improve for the rest of the season. I think he can handle longer distances as well,” Lui said.
Atzeni treble boosts Kwok family celebrations
Jockey Andrea Atzeni rode a treble on John Size-trained pair of Prime Ace (Encryption) and Beauty Award (Shamus Award) as well as Tony Cruz-trained Beauty Bolt (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). The Kwok family sponsor the Sa Sa Ladies Cup day and own Beauty Bolt and Beauty Award.
It took his season tally to 12, and he’s five behind Jerry Chau who leads the charge for the last two spots at the upcoming International Jockeys’ Championship.
“A lot can change until (the cut-off date for the final two IJC berths on November 26), but my aim is to ride as many winners as possible,” Atzeni told scmp.com.
“Obviously I had nice rides coming into today, so it was nice to get a couple of winners for John and the Beauty people and a nice winner in the last.”
“Beauty Award is a lovely horse. To do that after a long break – he was trialling quite nicely but I think he’s hard to judge because he’s laid-back. But hopefully there’s more to come,” Atzeni said.
A homebred for the Kwok family, Beauty Award had two starts last season in Hong Kong for one second. This was his first start since July this year. He’s a half-brother to stakes placed filly Beauty Bolt (Redoute’s Choice), who isn’t the Beauty Bolt (Ire) that won at Sha Tin. Beauty Award’s dam Sasa (Encosta De Lago) was a winner at two and placed in the G1 Champagne Stakes.
“Prime Ace ran very well the first time and then ignore his second run. Last run he drew wide, so we had to go back and ride him back and then from the gate today, it worked out well.”
Prime Ace’s victory was his maiden, coming at his fourth start, all this season in Hong Kong. He placed on debut. M Staunton paid $40,000 for him from Eureka Stud’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft of 2024. He is one of six winners for Epsilon (Sequalo), a four-time city winning half-sister to Group 3 winner Cosmic Gold (Made Of Gold {USA}).
“Beauty Bolt actually ran well the last day and didn’t have a lot of luck running. Today it looked a hot race with the 4-year-olds in it, but he’s a promising horse. He showed it last year when he went the Derby route, but now there’s no pressure to go for the Derby any more, so he can turn into a nice horse.”
Beauty Bolt was a winner on debut in Ireland, when named Thunder Song, before heading to Hong Kong. His win took his to four wins and earnings over HK$10.6 million (AU$2 million).
Rare double for Dylan Mo
Jockey Dylan Mo rode his first double since 2022 aboard Chris So-trained Celestial Strider (Smart Missile) and Ricky Yiu-trained Panacea (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}).
“I’m very happy. We wanted to ride this horse very relaxed and let him finish off and he did,” Mo said of Panacea.
“It’s great to get these opportunities. My last double was a long time ago, so I am very happy now.”
Panacea won twice in England when named Mount Teide but was unplaced on debut before a further five unplaced starts last season. This was his first win in Hong Kong. Likewise, Celestial Strider was winning his maiden.
Surgery returns for two winners
Panacea’s victory came at his first start since fetlock surgery in January, while Caspar Fownes-trained Pejibaye (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) was also resuming after knee surgery. Both wins show that patience and a great team can overcome injury and unsoundness.
“He had surgery on both fetlock joints and hasn’t run for close to a year, but we did a lot of work on his joints and trying to keep him sound,” Yiu said of Panacea.
“The last two trials at Conghua were promising, so we expected him to run well today, but the draw was really frustrating. I told the jockey to ride for luck – take him right back and aim to the outside in the straight. So, the jockey did a good job and the team has done really well with this horse and I’m happy.”
Pejibaye’s 4.5 length victory smashed the Sha Tin’s Class 4 1200m dirt record to set a time of 1:07.66s, beating the old time of 1:08.14s, set in 2018 by Happy Tour (Snitzel).
“I have to thank the (Hong Kong) Jockey Club vets for the great job on his knee surgery during the summer break. He’s a lot more comfortable; we always felt that this horse had ability. He has come back and been very, very impressive, so hopefully we now go to Class 3 with a 5lb penalty and hopefully he’ll be very strong in Class 3 as well,” Fownes said.
The 5-year-old gelding Pejibaye was a trial winner in New Zealand before heading to Hong Kong where he’s had all his 11 starts. Sunday’s win was his second and took his earnings over HK$2.4 million (AU$445,000). Little Avondale Stud sold him at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$320,000 to Jamie Richards and Andrew Williams.
He’s the third foal of Irish Cream (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) who has produced four winners in her first four foals, with her 3-year-old filly Savvy Diamond (NZ) (Savabeel) winning on debut at Goulburn at the start of this season. Irish Cream won her only start.
