By Alan Carasso
Thewizardofoz rushed past his rivals with a little less than a furlong to run in Sunday's G3 Premier Cup H. at Sha Tin and raced away to an authoritative success, giving trainer John Size a record-breaking 92nd victory on the season. The previous mark was held by Tony Cruz, whose Winner's Way was odds-on Sunday, but proved no match despite getting 13 pounds from the topweight.
Dropped out the back early on as Adventurer (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) set the pace from Dashing Fellow (Aus) (Duporth {Aus}), the generously priced second favorite was in touch with the field when the tempo slackened in the middle stages and was poised leaving the turn. Switched out widest, Thewizardofoz, winless in five starts dating back to February 2016, turned on the afterburners and threw in a final 400m sectional of :21.68 (final 800m :44.96) to leave no doubt about the outcome.
“That was the real 'Wizard' today,” reunited rider Joao Moreira exclaimed. “We knew he was very good from the early days, and unfortunately he hasn't been able to deliver the best of himself up until today. Today, we saw the best of him and I was very impressed and proud of him. I'm so lucky to have him as a ride, he's a very good horse.”
Victorious in four of his first six trips to the post, Thewizardofoz faltered as the favorite in the 2016 Hong Kong Classic Mile. Back to winning ways in a 1400-metre Class 1 next , he'd been blanked since, but running-on efforts in the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize and with weight on his back in the G3 Sha Tin Vase H. in his last two runs hinted at better to come, particularly with a return to his preferred seven furlongs.
Pedigree Notes:
Thewizardofoz is career stakes winner 148 for Arrowfield Stud's Redoute's Choice and his 97th at group level, but his first such winner in Hong Kong. His dam, a three-time New Zealand champion and dual Group 1 winner in that country, is also a half-sister to Sovereign Duchess (Aus) (Last Tycoon {Ire}), whose son Sovereign Nation (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) won the G2 Stutt S. Thewizardofoz's as-yet unraced 3-year-old half-brother Legendofoz (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was bought back on a bid of A$600,000 out of the 2015 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. Princess Coup is the dam of a 2-year-old filly by Fastnet Rock, a yearling Snitzel (Aus) filly and produced a full-sister to Thewizardofoz–himself a November foal–last Dec. 5.
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
PREMIER CUP H.-G3, HK$3,000,000 (£303,734/€345,011/A$510,053/US$384,663), 3yo/up, 1400mT, 1:20.86, gd/fm.
1–#@THEWIZARDOFOZ (AUS), 133, g, 5, by Redoute's Choice (Aus)
1st Dam: Princess Coup (Aus) (Ch. 3yo Filly, Ch. Older Mare, Ch. Stayer-NZ, MG1SW-NZ, GSW & MG1SP-Aus, $3,120,554), by Encosta de Lago (Aus)
2nd Dam: Stoney Fell Road (Aus), by Sovereign Red (NZ)
3rd Dam: Arch Duchess (Aus), by Arch Sculptor (Aus)
O-Martin Siu; B-Evergreen Rich Pty Ltd (NSW); T-John Size; J-Joao Moreira; HK$1,710,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. Griffin-HK, 14-6-1-3, HK$9,055,050. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Winner's Way (Aus), 120, g, 4, Starcraft (NZ)–Sunday Service (Aus), by Sunday Silence. (A$55,000 Ylg '14 MMNAT). O-Peter Young & Dr Arthur Leung; B-Bruce Reid Racing (NSW); T-Tony Cruz; HK$660,000.
3–Magic Legend (Aus), 118, g, 3, Red Element (Aus)–Trail of Secrets (Aus), by Secret Savings. (A$50,000 Ylg '15 MMGCYS). O-Jason Tam; B-Asco International Pty Ltd (Qld); T-John Moore; HK$345,000.
Margins: 3HF, HF, HF. Odds: 41-10, 4-5, 41-5.
Also Ran: Jolly Banner (Aus), New Asia Sunrise (Aus), Sun Jewellery (Aus), Dashing Fellow (Aus), Adventurer (Aus).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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