By Alan Carasso
Irish ex-pat Neil Callan is the prototypical journeyman jockey in Hong Kong, a cut below the likes of Joao Moreira and Zac Purton from a statistical standpoint, but capable of booting home his fair share of winners. A good percentage of his feature-race success locally had come through his association with trainer Tony Cruz and primarily with the veteran Blazing Speed (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), but Monday it was one-time G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint hero Peniaphobia (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) who came through for the team with a tough pillar-to-post tally in the G2 Centenary Sprint Cup.
Drawn widest of this octet, the 6-year-old was aggressively ridden away from the stalls and managed to cross and clear all the inside traffic, and although he had company from reigning Hong Kong Sprint hero Aerovelocity (NZ) (Pins {Aus}), he had a fairly easy time of it through the opening 400m in :24.29, well outside standard for this level over a track affected at least to some extent by rain showers earlier in the day. Not Listenin'tome (Aus) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) fell into the box seat for third for Tommy Berry, while heavily favored Lucky Bubbles (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) sat a good trip from fourth. Peniaphobia traveled strongly off the final corner and kicked hard, and despite having to expend some energy to gain the front from that outside post, he dug in bravely, as is his custom, and Lucky Bubbles could not pull back the margin late. Not Listenin'tome just held for third ahead of Amazing Kids (NZ) (Falkirk {NZ}). That leading quartet each hold entries for Dubai and the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) could be next for Peniaphobia, who was placed in the last two renewals of that event, previously contested over a straight five furlongs. Lucky Bubbles and Amazing Kids could also fly the Bauhinia in the Al Quoz, while trainer John Moore has suggested Not Listenin'tome could go for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen.
“He began very well–he just showed effortless speed at the start,” Callan told HKJC's David Morgan. “Tony said he was the only front-runner in the field and that was my plan, to just let him roll up into position on the front end rather than push him. He did that with minimum fuss because he jumped so cleanly. I was able to cross them and get to the rail. I didn't take a pull on him I was just talking to him in his ear, 'woah, boy, woah', and when I threw the reins at him he was coming back underneath me. Nobody pestered me for it so I knew I'd have a big kick in the straight.”
Victorious in the 2013 Weatherbys Super Sprint when trained by Richard Fahey, Peniaphobia nearly won the Hong Kong Sprint as a 3-year-old in 2014 before leading throughout 12 months hence. He made the running in defence of his title Dec. 11, weakening slightly in the latter stages to finish less than a length behind Aerovelocity in third, and most recently rounded out the triple behind Amazing Kids and Not Listenin'tome in the G3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy H. (1000m) Jan. 8.
Pedigree Notes:
Peniaphobia is one of five black-type winners for his sire, who stands for €10,000 at Joe Foley's Ballyhane Stud. Peniaphobia's full-sister Rapacity Alexander, an €42,000 GOFNOV weanling turned 90,000gns TATOCT yearling, was victorious in the Listed Prix La Fleche at Chantilly last year for owner Noel O'Callaghan. That filly is the last listed produce for Umlani, who descends from the same female family as US Eclipse Award winner Wandesta (GB) (Nashwan) and G1SW Quiet Fling (Nijinsky II).
Monday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
CENTENARY SPRINT CUP-G2, HK$8,000,000 (£819,758/€964,729/A$1,367,020/US$1,031,244), Sha Tin, 1-30, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:09.15, gd.
1–PENIAPHOBIA (IRE), 121, g, 6, by Dandy Man (Ire)
1st Dam: Umlani (Ire), by Great Commotion
2nd Dam: Travel Magic (Ire), by Henbit
3rd Dam: Quiet Harbour (Ire), by Mill Reef
(€11,000 Wlg '11 GOFNOV; £20,000 Ylg '12 DONAUG). O-Huang Kai Wen; B-Andrew Fogarty; T-Tony Cruz; J-Neil Callan; HK$4,560,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. Sprinter & G1SW-HK, MG1SP-UAE, 34-12-6-8, HK$40,668,970. *Full to Rapacity Alexander (Ire), SW-Fr; 1/2 to Safari Sunset (Ire) (Fayruz {GB}), GSP-Eng. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
2–Lucky Bubbles (Aus), 121, g, 5, Sebring (Aus)–Bubble Below (Aus), by Hussonet. (A$90,000 Ylg '13 INGPRE). O-Lucky Syndicate; B-Gilgai Farm (Vic); T-Francis Lui; HK$1,760,000.
3–Not Listenin'tome (Aus), 121, g, 6, Dylan Thomas (Ire)–Flame of Sydney (Aus), by Encosta de Lago (Aus). (A$270,000 Ylg '12 INGEAS). O-Matthew Wong Leung Pak; B-M A Pitt & M Read (NSW); T-John Moore; HK$920,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 8-1, 3-5, 9-1.
Also Ran: Amazing Kids (NZ), Blizzard (Aus), Strathmore (Aus), Merion (NZ), Aerovelocity (NZ).
Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional times. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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