By Alan Carasso
With the underrated Grant van Niekerk deputising for the flu-stricken Joao Moreira, Big Party (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) took advantage of the handicap and came running late for a first pattern success in Sunday's Bauhinia Sprint Trophy at a rainy Sha Tin Racecourse.
Drawn stands' side, Big Party sat a good trip behind the early pace set by Premiere (NZ) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), was switched out into the three path and struck the front with a half-furlong to race before striding home a comfortable winner.
Big Party may have earned a shot at Hong Kong's best sprinters in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup in three weeks' time, but winning trainer Frankie Lor wasn't fully committing to that just yet.
“I need to look at the horse tomorrow morning to see how he is,” the conditioner told HKJC's David Morgan. “After his last run he came back and was eating okay and everything looked good, so I talked to Joao (Moreira) and we decided to race him [Sunday]. It's three weeks to the Group 1 so we need to see how the horse is tomorrow and then we can start to think.”
Pedigree Notes:
Big Party is the 165th worldwide black-type winner and 84th group/graded winner for his outstanding sire and is out of an unraced full-sister to SW & GSP Super Groove (Aus) as well as a half to MGSW and G1 The Galaxy S. runner-up Taikun (Aus) (Anabaa). Also the 109th SW and 44th GSW out of a daughter of Dehere, Big Party has a yearling full-brother that is to be consigned by Bhima Thoroughbreds to the upcoming Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. De Groove produced another Exceed and Excel colt this year and was bred back to Zoustar (Aus).
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
BAUHINIA SPRINT TROPHY H.-G3, HK$3,250,000 (£319,033/€373,485/A$597,932/US$417,321), Sha Tin, 12-29, 3yo/up, 1000mT, :55.71, gd.
1–BIG PARTY (AUS), 118, g, 4, by Exceed and Excel (Aus)
1st Dam: De Groove (Aus), by Dehere
2nd Dam: Tyrises (Aus), by Last Tycoon (Ire)
3rd Dam: Irises (Aus), by Tate Gallery
1ST STAKES WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. (A$420,000 Ylg '17 INGEAS). O-Ryan Wong Man Yeung & Roland Wong Ka Yeung; B-G S A Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Vic); T-Frankie Lor; J-Grant van Niekerk; HK$1,852,500. Lifetime Record: 9-5-0-0, HK$6,301,100. *1/2 to General Groove (Aus) (General Nediym {Aus}), GSP-Aus, $235,373; full to Top Me Up (Aus), GSP-Aus, $241,846. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Big Time Baby (Ire), 123, g, 5, Dandy Man (Ire)–Royal Majestic (GB), by Tobougg (Ire). (€33,000 Wlg '14 GOFNOV; £45,000 Ylg '15 DONAUG). O-Golden Era Syndicate; B-Paul & Billy McEnery; T-Manfred Man; HK$715,000.
3–Thanks Forever (Aus), 125, g, 4, Duporth (Aus)–Cinecitta (Aus), by Exceed and Excel (Aus). (A$170,000 Ylg '17 MMGCYS). O-Patrick Ng Pak Hong, Albert Lee Wai Choi, Francis Lee Lan Yee & Chan Wing Kwong; B-AC Lloyd Jones (NSW); T-John Moore; HK$373,750.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1, HF. Odds: 17-10, 85-10, 13-10.
Also Ran: Jolly Banner (Aus), Premiere (NZ), Regency Legend (NZ), California Whip.
Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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