By Alan Carasso
Helene Paragon (Fr) (Polan {Fr}) had endured his share of bad luck in a couple of starts leading into Monday's G1 Stewards' Cup, the featured event on the Chinese New Year program, but good fortune was on his side, as visiting rider Tommy Berry audaciously threaded the needle nearing the entrance to the final furlong and drove his mount to a richly deserved maiden Group 1 victory.
Widely expected to go favored in a race that included the last three horses of the year in Hong Kong as well as G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile hero Beauty Only (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Helene Paragon drifted back to a position slightly worse than midfield and just in advance of 2015 Stewards' Cup winner Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal) as Contentment (Aus) (Hussonet) and Beauty Flame (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) tussled on the sharp end. Berry had allowed Helene Paragon to edge closer on the turn, following the move of Sun Jewellery (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), as Able Friend, given a risky inside trip by Joao Moreira, stalked the favorite's every move. Traveling well approaching the final corner, Helene Paragon was momentarily short of room, but muscled his way to daylight between defending champ Giant Treasure (Mizzen Mast) and Blazing Speed (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) at the 350m. Contentment was still going well up front, but the chalk grinded his way past that one and hit the line first, with Joyful Trinity (Ire) (Zanzibari) closing off well for second. Able Friend was stalled a couple of times in the stretch, first behind the eventual winner and then off the heels of Blazing Speed before rocketing home to pinch third on the wire.
Berry was full of praise for the winner, who is likely to move on to the G1 Dubai Turf (1800m) Mar. 25.
“It's a Group 1 race and there's never an inch given, you expect that in Group 1s, especially here in Hong Kong,” Berry told HKJC's David Morgan. “I knew I was on the right horse to do what I did, and if I wasn't I probably wouldn't have done it because I put myself in a sticky spot–when I pushed out he wanted to go again. Horses don't usually push out like that and balance up and quicken as well as he does–usually it takes them a few strides. It shows his quality.”
Said Moreira of Able Friend: “He's run a good race but, unfortunately, things didn't go his way in the straight. He needed a bit more luck–if he'd had that he could have won,” the champion jockey said.
A maiden winner at first asking at San Sebastian in Spain, Helene Paragon–raced in Europe as Sir Andrew–was third in the G1 Prix Jean Prat to close out that portion of his career. He was seventh to Beauty Only, but beaten just two lengths, in the Nov. 20 G2 Jockey Club Mile and might have turned the tables in the international Mile last time, but struck just enough interference in the run to miss by a half-length in second.
Pedigree Notes:
Helene Paragon's listed-winning sire is reportedly responsible for just two foals lifetime, while his sire Golan (Ire) sired Beauty Flash (NZ), winner of the 2010 Hong Kong Mile and this event the following month.
Monday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
STEWARDS' CUP-G1, HK$10,000,000 (£1,025,286/€1,206,358A$1,710,333/US$1,289,048), Sha Tin, 1-30, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:34.38, gd.
1–@&HELENE PARAGON (FR), 126, h, 5, by Polan (Fr)
1st Dam: High Zaff (GB), by High Chaparral (Ire)
2nd Dam: Zaffrani (Ire), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Zariysha (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
O-Sir Po-shing & Lady Woo, Wilson, Jackson & Dawson Woo; B-A Jordan Torres; T-John Moore; T-Tommy Berry; HK$5,700,000. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Fr, 22-7-4-2, HK$19,360,000. *Formerly Sir Andrew (Fr). Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A.
2–Joyful Trinity (Ire), 126, g, 5, Zanzibari–Bargouzine, by Stravinsky. O-Lai Wai Chi; B-Ecurie Peregrine SAS; T-John Moore; HK$2,200,000.
3–Able Friend (Aus), 126, g, 7, Shamardal–Ponte Piccolo (NZ), by Volksraad (GB). (A$550,000 Ylg '11 INGEAS). O-Dr & Mrs Cornel Li; B-Ramsey Pastoral Co Pty Ltd (Qld); T-John Moore; HK$1,000,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, NK. Odds: 21-10, 17-1, 23-5.
Also Ran: Contentment (Aus), Beauty Only (Ire), Werther (NZ), Giant Treasure, Designs on Rome (Ire), Blazing Speed (GB), Sun Jewellery (Aus), Secret Weapon (GB), Beauty Flame (Ire).
Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional times. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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