‘Hopefully we can find a few more like him’ – Romantic Warrior impresses Kinane
Among those watching on impressed by Romantic Warrior’s (Acclamation) mesmerising performance in Sunday’s Hong Kong Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) was a man who has ridden one or two good ones in his time.
Mick Kinane has been active at the sales finding horses for the Hong Kong Jockey Club and had bought the Acclamation (Royal Applause) gelding from Corduff Stud for 300,000gns at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2019.
Moved on for HK$4.8 million at the Hong Kong International Sale in June last year, Romantic Warrior has won nine of ten starts for his trainer Danny Shum, including the Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m) and QEII Cup (Gr 1, 2000m)
“I was more nervous then than when I was riding – it was out of my hands,” said the decorated rider-turned-bloodstock agent after watching Romantic Warrior fly four and a half lengths clear of Japanese runner Danon The Kid (Just A Way).
“He’s just become a phenomenal horse, what he’s done in 13 months has been just incredible, he started racing through a Class 4 and this was his first real international race, it was a good field and he just spreadeagled them.”
Kinane revealed that he had to use some sleight of hand to secure the third foal of winning Street Cry (Machiavellian) mare Folk Melody from Tattersalls in the first place.
“I did everything to buy him,” he said. “I remember at the time I knew Angus Gold would be my biggest competitor, he was always on the same type of horses that I’m on. My worry was when he got Sheikh Hamdan, God rest his soul, on the phone, he wouldn’t stop.
“So I left my daughter Aisling and son-in-law Mark Gittins; my daughter had a hat on, earphones in and I hid in the stairs. Angus was looking around, the next thing, [knocked down to] HKJC, he came down to Aisling and said, ‘You got me’. I was lucky to buy him and the horse has been lucky since, to think he could do this is unbelievable.”
Kinane, who has acted as agent for the Hong Kong Jockey Club since 2019, purchased a further six horses at the Tattersalls October yearling sale this year, four from Book 1 and two from Book 2.
Among them, a colt by a son of Acclamation in Dark Angel, two colts by Starspangledbanner (Choisir), the sire of Sunday’s Hong Kong Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) winner California Spangle, and a 600,000gns colt by Invincible Spirit (Green Desert).
The next cohort to be sold at the 2023 Hong Kong International Sale will be purchases from the 2020 yearling sales and a select few from 2021.
“We bought another batch to come in May, I was at Kempton last week with the next one, I think we have a nice batch for the next sale,” Kinane said.
“The first runner from the last sale was a good first-time winner here and things are progressing well. Hopefully, we can find a few more like him!”
Wellington cements place among Hong Kong’s sprinting greats
Australian-bred sprinter Wellington (All Too Hard) racked up his fourth Group 1 success in Hong Kong with victory in Sunday’s Hong Kong Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m) at Sha Tin, a feat which puts him among the jurisdiction’s leading all-time sprinters.
Wellington’s tally of four Group 1 sprint victories pits him behind only the great Silent Witness (El Moxie), whose back-to-back wins in each of the Hong Kong Sprint, Chairman’s Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m) and Centenary Sprint Cup (Gr 1, 1200m) from 2003-2005 marks him as Hong Kong’s greatest sprinter with six elite-level wins.
However, the Richard Gibson-trained Wellington could etch his name into the Hong Kong record books should he earn a never-before-achieved feat this season if he is targeted at the Centenary Sprint Cup in February.
Having won the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (Gr 1, 1400m) in March, the Centenary Sprint Cup is the one remaining Group 1 sprint that eludes Wellington, after the gelding finished fourth in a messily run edition of the 1200-metre Group 1 earlier this year.
Royal Ascot in June has also been tabled as a possibility for the six-year-old, who is putting his Vinery Stud sire All Too Hard (Casino Prince) in the international spotlight with his latest success.
What Sunday’s Sprint once again proved, however, is the dominance of the Australian product when it comes to the short-course distances in Hong Kong.
With Wellington defeating Sight Success (Magnus) by three-quarters of a length, with Sky Field (Deep Field) a half-length further back in third, Australian-bred horses collected the trifecta, seeing off the Japanese challenge of fifth-placed Meikei Yell (Mikki Isle), while New Zealand’s Courier Wonder (Sacred Falls) and Lucky Sweynesse (Sweynesse) finished fourth and sixth respectively.
Hong Kong
Rich Enuff gelding remains unbeaten
Mighty Stride, a son of Woodside Park Stud stallion Rich Enuff (Written Tycoon), made it back-to-back wins and remained unbeaten in his career with a dominant performance at Sha Tin on Sunday. The Ricky Yiu-trained four-year-old won the Falvelon Handicap (Class 4, 1200m) by two and a half lengths ahead of Regency Bo Bo (Denman) and Marvel Dragon (Redoute’s Choice), who dead-heated for second. Mighty Stride was sourced from the Glenlogan Park draft at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by Upper Bloodstock for $100,000. He is one of two named foals out of the unraced Show A Princess (Show A Heart), the other being Listed winner Over Exposure (Rothesay). Rich Enuff has three winners from five runners in Hong Kong.
Son of Sooboog two from two
Also remaining unbeaten from two starts was Dragon’s Luck (Sooboog), who won the Lord Kanaloa Handicap (Class 3, 1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. The son of Kitchwin Hills stallion Sooboog (Snitzel) won on debut by two lengths at Sha Tin last month and came away a three-quarter length winner ahead of Decisive Twelve (All Too Hard) in the 1200-metre handicap. The Douglas Whyte-trained Dragon’s Luck was a $160,000 yearling buy for Michael Hickmott at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and was sold to Hong Kong after winning a barrier trial at Murray Bridge in May this year. He is the first foal out of the winning O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) mare Ballychine and a brother to the Listed placegetter Port Albert. The mare’s yearling filly by Invader (Snitzel) will be sold as Lot 268 at next year’s Inglis Classic sale. Dragon’s Luck is the only winner from three runners in Hong Kong for Sooboog, who stands for a fee of $8,800 (inc GST).
Toronado’s Encounter amassing Sweet record
Sweet Encounter (Toronado) took his record to four wins in five starts with victory in the Jim And Tonic Handicap (Class 3, 1800m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. The New Zealand-bred four-year-old won by a length and a quarter under Zac Purton for John Size. The gelding was an $80,000 yearling buy for Breeze Up Bloodstock from the Highview draft at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka yearling sale before being sold for $110,000 through the Prima Park consignment at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale that same year. He is the fourth winner from six runners out of Haumea (Encosta De Lago), who despite ending her career winless, finished second six times and ran fourth in the Tasmanian Oaks (Listed, 2100m). The mare’s yearling colt by Wrote (High Chaparral) is catalogued as Lot 791 in Book 2 of next year’s NZB Karaka yearling sale.
Seven for Zacinto
Former Valachi Stud sire Zacinto (Dansili) sired his seventh winner from only eight runners in Hong Kong, when Medic Elite won the France Handicap (Class 5, 1650m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday. The Pierre Ng-trained four-year-old was ridden by Ryan Moore as he soared to a two-length win over London Luckystar (Holy Roman Emperor). It was Medic Elite’s 14th start in Hong Kong, having switched to rookie trainer Ng from the departing Paul O’Sullivan this season. Medic Elite was passed in as a weanling when failing to make his NZ$2,000 reserve, but was snapped up by Hong Kong connections after winning two trials in New Zealand in February and April last year. He is the first foal out of two-time winner You Are Amazing (Thewayyouare).
Third for Sweynesse
Lucky Sweynesse may have been denied in his quest for Group 1 glory in Hong Kong on Sunday, when finishing sixth in the Hong Kong Sprint, however his sire Sweynesse (Lonhro) celebrated a new winner in the jurisdiction on Wednesday, when Hearty Wish claimed victory at Happy Valley. The Douglas Whyte-trained five-year-old won by a neck in posting his first victory in 15 starts. Hearty Wish was picked up by Hong Kong connections after a trial win in New Zealand in October 2020, having failed to meet his $18,000 reserve as a yearling. He is out of the Flying Spur (Danehill) mare Klairevoyant, who has five winners from six foals to race.
Third for No Nay Never
No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) sired his third winner in Hong Kong when his son Spirited Express won the United Kingdom Handicap (Class 2, 1800m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday. A dual Group 2 winner in New Zealand when known as Need I Say More, the five-year-old won at his seventh start in Hong Kong, defeating Savaquin (Savabeel) by a short-head under Holly Doyle. Spirited Express was a $65,000 weanling buy from the Burnewang North draft for Kilgravin Lodge at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, before his purchase for $130,000 by David Ellis at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka yearling sale. He is the first foal out of winning Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Bo Bardi, who has a yearling filly by Too Darn Hot (Dubawi).
Malaysia
Wanted Payout completes hat-trick
Wanted Payout (Proisir) completed a hat-trick when he captured the Max Two Stakes (1400m) at Sungei Besi on Sunday. Although meeting much stronger opponents than on each of his previous two starts, the four-year-old managed to stave off the challenge of Xar (American Pharoah), a first-up scorer last month, to win by half a length. “My instructions were to ride a forward race because the track is a little chopped up,” said winning jockey Clyde Leck. I actually wanted to sit second or third but seeing that no one wanted to take the initiative to lead, I decided to lead. I have won three times on him and each time he kept improving. I am looking forward to how far he can go. I am confident that he has a bright future.” Wanted Payout was a NZ$1,400 buy for Dean Wiles off a Gavelhouse online sale in 2019. He is the eighth foal out of Zelt (Red Ransom), who has a yearling filly by Shocking (Street Cry).