On the coldest day in Hong Kong in 59 years–the thermometer read 39 Farenheit at post time–the 'Sun' shone down upon Sha Tin, as Sun Jewellery (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), the highest-rated galloper in the field for Sunday's Hong Kong Classic Mile, but allowed to be off at a juicy 8-1, overcame the widest draw to give Ryan Moore and trainer John Size their maiden victories in the first leg of the local 4-year-old series.
A dual winner in provincial Victoria for owner/breeder Tung Fai and trainer Peter Moody, Sun Jewellery had done very little wrong in five previously well-spaced starts since his export to this jurisdiction. The chestnut raced to three comfortable scores at the tail end of last season, each under the guidance of Joao Moreira, but suffered his first local defeat at the hands of Dashing Fellow (Aus) (Duporth {Aus}) when first-up Nov. 14. He took on a salty bunch of Class 1 horses following the international events Dec. 13 and came away to a narrow victory, the form of which has since been franked by a pair of next-out stakes winners. Sun Jewellery would do his part Sunday afternoon.
Saddled with the riverside draw in 14–a chief contributing factor to his overlaid starting price–Sun Jewellery was hustled away from there by Moore, who was still looking for his first victory since joining the local ranks a few meetings back. He was able to settle his mount in about fifth position as Dashing Fellow was taken on by French import King Genki (Fr) (Arcano {Ire}) after about 300 meters. Lucky Bubbles (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}), a wide third to Sun Jewellery last time and well-backed third choice here, had the best trip from the box seat, while favored Thewizardofoz (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) and Blizzard (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) raced keenly from about midfield. Lucky Bubbles had first crack at the tiring pacesetters in upper stretch, but Moore was ready to go with Sun Jewellery and sent him past Lucky Bubbles while keeping his chief market rival Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) in a pocket at a critical stage. The latter got out and quickened up better than Thewizardofoz, but Moore had pinched enough of a break to find the wire first.`Blizzard, the lone member of the field without an entry in the Hong Kong Derby, rallied belatedly for third. Last year's G1 Irish Derby and G2 Great Voltigeur S. third Giovanni Canaletto (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) ran on from the back to be a respectable sixth, while Consort (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), placed in last year's G1 St James's Palace S., improved on a lackluster local debut to finish another spot in arrears.
“I think he's a very good horse and I was lucky to be riding him today,” said Moore of the winner. “He has a very good racing mind. He went through the race really comfortably–it's obviously going to be another question mark, stepping up in trip, but he's a horse that hasn't done a lot wrong in his life. Who's to say where he could end up?”
Size, who trained Luger (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}) to victory in last year's Derby, said he would take a wait-and-see approach before deciding whether to press on to the Hong Kong Classic Cup. That 1800-meter test comes up Feb. 21. The Hong Kong Derby runs Mar. 20. Click for the HKJC.com chart. VIDEO.
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
HONG KONG CLASSIC MILE, HK$10,000,000 (US$1,278,635/£898,867/€1,187,810), Sha Tin, 1-24, 4yo, 1600mT, 1:35.05, gd.
1–#SUN JEWELLERY (AUS), 126, g, 4, by Snitzel (Aus)
1st Dam: Tan Tat Star (Aus), by Umatilla (NZ)
2nd Dam: Rhum Dancer (Aus), by Command Module (Aus)
3rd Dam: Gaelic Dancer (Aus), by Boysie Boy (GB)
O/B-Tung Moon Fai; T-John Size; J-Ryan Moore; HK$5,700,000. Lifetime Record: 10-7-2-0, HK$11,205,370. *1/2 to Tan Tat De Lago (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), GSW-Aus, $372,310.
[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]
2–Werther (NZ), 126, g, 4, Tavistock (NZ)–Bagalollies (Aus), by Zabeel (NZ). O-Johnson Chen; B-C D Allison, C V & J A Barnao, A R Campbell, T G Heptinstall, T M Pivac & D R Platt; T-John Moore; HK$2,200,000.
3–Blizzard (Aus), 126, g, 4, Starcraft (NZ)–Stormy Choice (Aus), by Redoute's Choice (Aus). (A$75,000 Ylg '13 INGMEL). O-Infinitude Syndicate; B-G S A Bloodstock Pty Ltd; T-Ricky Yiu; HK$1,150,000.
[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]
Margins: NK, 1HF, 2. Odds: 8-1, 3-1, 16-1.
Also Ran: Lucky Bubbles (Aus), Thewizardofoz (Aus), Giovanni Canaletto (Ire), Consort (Ire), Divine Boy (Aus), Dashing Fellow (Aus), Hero Look (Ire), Basic Trilogy (NZ), Green Dispatch, Rickfield (Fr), King Genki (Fr). Scratched: General Sherman (Ire), Wah May Friend (Ity).
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
