'Fifty' Nifty in New Year's Day Feature

Fifty Fifty | HKJC photo

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A little more than a year ago and already into his 4-year-old season, Fifty Fifty (NZ) (Thorn Park {Aus}) won a Te Aroha maiden at first asking. Before a near-record crowd of 85,124 on Monday's New Year's Day program, the grey took full advantage of his light weight and a perfect trip to join the ranks of group winners in the G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup H. at Sha Tin.

Victorious in three of five local appearances, including a defeat of top Hong Kong Derby prospect Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in a 1600-metre Class 1 Nov. 26, Fifty Fifty landed in a prominent position one out and one back as one-time G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint winner Peniaphobia (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire})–no better than an 83-1 roughie–galloped them along into the turn. Poised at the 600m, Fifty Fifty was eased off heels and into the clear, got the first crack on the leaders and poked a head in front three away from the inside with a quarter-mile to travel. Odds-on Beat the Clock (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) quickened up nicely and drew nearly even at the furlong grounds, but Fifty Fifty stiff-armed that one inside the 100m and was actually going away at the finish. Top-weighted Helene Paragon (Fr) (Polan {Fr}, 133 pounds), a latest third in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, was void of early speed, crept closer through the middle stages and fired a final 400 metres in :22.27 to be a good third. Beauty Only (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) streaked home a couple hundreths quicker in fourth under 132 pounds.

“He saw Joao's horse come and he wanted to run onto him a little bit,” winning trainer Peter Ho told the HKJC's David Morgan. “I just think he's still learning about things, but every time he races he gets better. Today was a really tough task and I think we've all learnt something. He was taking on big horses, so there was a concern about whether he would be up to it, but he's a good horse and you don't keep good horses in the stable. He'll be better again when he goes back to the mile.”

That is likely to come in the Jan. 28 G1 Stewards' Cup, where he will meet defending champion Helene Paragon and Beauty Only at level weights.

“[Jockey] Tommy [Berry] got off and said he'll be winning the Stewards' Cup again after that run,” trainer John Moore said, referring to Helene Paragon.

Pedigree Notes:

Fifty Fifty is the 15th group winner for and hails from the penultimate crop of former Windsor Park Stud inmate Thorn Park (Aus) (Spinning World), who was lost to laminitis at the age of 13 about seven weeks after Fifty Fifty was foaled in late 2012. During his abbreviated stud career, Thorn Park sired seven Group 1 winners, including G1 New Zealand Derby hero Jimmy Choux (NZ) and G1 Cox Plate victor Ocean Park (NZ), who stand at Rich Hill Stud and Waikato Stud, respectively. The dam of a 3-year-old filly by Zacinto (GB), Udiditagain was most recently covered by that GSW & G1SP son of Dansili (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

Monday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
CHINESE CLUB CHALLENGE CUP H.-G3, HK$3,000,000 (£284,068/€319,692/A$491,712/US$383,986), Sha Tin, 1-1, 3yo/up, 1400mT, 1:21.10, gd.
1–FIFTY FIFTY (NZ), 113, g, 5, by Thorn Park (Aus)
1st Dam: Udiditagain (NZ) (SW & GSP-NZ), by D'Cash (Aus)
2nd Dam: Tio Iris (NZ), by Paris House (GB)
3rd Dam: Clip Row (NZ), by Long Row (GB)
*1ST STAKES WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. (NZ$75,000 Ylg '14 NZBSEL). O-Lee Wan Keung & Lee Wong Wai Kuen; B-Miss J M, K J & Mrs M L Shaw; T-Peter Ho; J-Karis Teetan; HK$1,710,000. Lifetime Record: 7-5-1-1, HK$5,449,870. *Formerly Speedy Grey (NZ). Werk Nick Rating: A. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Beat the Clock (Aus), 115, g, 4, Hinchinbrook (Aus)–Flion Fenena (Aus), by Lion Hunter (Aus). (A$70,000 Ylg '15 INGMEL; NZ$200,000 2yo '15 NZBRTR). O-Merrick Chung Wai Lik; B-Miss J Henderson (NSW); T-John Size; HK$660,000.
3–Helene Paragon (Fr), 133, h, 6, Polan (Fr)–High Zaff (GB), by High Chaparral (Ire). O-Sir Po-Shing & Lady Woo, Jackson Woo Ka Biu, Dawson Woo Ka Chung & The Exors of the Estate of the Late Wilson Woo Ka Wah; B-A Jordan Torres; T-John Moore; HK$345,000.
Margins: HF, 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 4-1, 4-5, 81-10.
Also Ran: Beauty Only (Ire), Dundonnell, Southern Legend (Aus), Winner's Way (Aus), Lucky Year (Aus), Giant Treasure, Dashing Fellow (Aus), Peniaphobia (Ire), Contentment (Aus).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO.

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