Sword Point claims Hong Kong Reunification Cup for Lor and Purton
Sword Point (American Pharoah) crowned an impressive Hong Kong debut season with an emphatic victory in the Class 2 Hong Kong Reunification Cup Handicap (2000m) at Sha Tin yesterday, shunting Zac Purton closer to eclipsing Joao Moreira’s record for the most wins in a single campaign.
Contesting his tenth race this season, the Frankie Lor-trained Sword Point claimed a HK$1 million (approx. AU$191,515) PP Bonus with his second win in the jurisdiction, boosting his earnings to HK$9.45 million (approx. AU$1.8 million) as Purton continued a relentless pursuit of Moreira’s seasonal record of 170 wins.
Five-time champion jockey Purton positioned Sword Point perfectly from barrier four, sitting in fourth place behind leaders Erimo (Street Boss) and All For St Paul’s (Magnus) before the field compacted near the 800-metre mark when the pace slackened.
Suddenly caught behind the weakening leaders, Purton angled into the clear before driving the former two-time Australian winner away from Meaningful Star (Pivotal) to prevail by one-and-a-quarter lengths in 2 m 01.56s, with Butterfield (Setembro Chove) third.
“Like a lot of the staying races in Hong Kong recently, they’re just run at such a muddling tempo it throws everyone’s plans out the window,” Purton said. “We were having a really nice run race and then they slammed on the brakes and started going slower and slower. It forces everyone to take off, the field bunches and then everyone gets in each other’s way.
“Luckily for me, I was following the right horse [Meaningful Star] and he brought me into it and I just had to wait for the run.”
Purton finished the meeting with a double after Ricky Yiu’s Green N White (Smart Missile) won the Class 4 Continuous Development Handicap (1400m), leaving the rider with 163 wins for the season.
A consistent performer in the Four-Year-Old Classic Series with a sixth in the Hong Kong Classic Mile (Listed, 1600m), second in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (Listed, 1800m) and sixth in the Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m), Sword Point finished second to Straight Arron (Fastnet Rock) in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (Gr 3, 2400m) in May.
Sword Point’s latest performance impressed Purton.
“I thought it was a very good performance. He had a lot of weight [132lb] to carry, he’s had a long season. Frankie did a good job to turn him out the way he did today. He drew a good gate, which helped us a lot, but he still had to do it – and he did it well,” Purton said.
Lor indicated the gelding could be aimed at elite races next season.
“He won again, it’s good for me, and next season, I hope he can get into some good races,” Lor said. “I think 2000 metres is his best trip, but Hong Kong has Romantic Warrior. However, horses can hit good or bad form. Anything can happen. Hopefully, we can find suitable races to get him to his peak, then go to the International Races. I think he’s up to that level.”
Lor trimmed John Size’s lead in the trainers’ championship to eight – 72-64 – with unbeaten Dream Winner’s (Exosphere) victory in the Class 3 Riding High Together Handicap (1000m) for Vincent Ho.
“He’s a nice horse. I will put him away for next season – he’s still young and still improving,” Lor said of the hulking gelding, who successfully carried 132lb.
Ho, who posted a treble, said: “It was a bit tougher with this weight and I’m glad this is his last run and that he will have a break now because he’s still young and the weight penalty is not ideal for him.
“I’m glad he can recover now and be more mature next season. He’s still raw. Of course, he’s a nice horse.”
Ho also scored on the Francis Lui-trained Superb Boy (Nicconi) in the Class 3 Better Future Handicap (1400m) and Pierre Ng’s Master Of Fortune (Fastnet Rock) in the Class 4 Serving The Community Handicap (1600m).
Size struck in combination with Luke Currie and Bundle Of Charm (All Too Hard) to land the Class 3 Sportsmanship Handicap (1200m), while Brenton Avdulla’s enterprising front-running ride on California Vanes (Hinchinbrook) clinched the second section of the Class 4 World-Class Leadership Handicap (1200m) for Tony Cruz.
Maximize Heart (Holy Roman Emperor) lugged 135lb to victory in the Class 5 Racing Goes On Handicap (1400m) under Hugh Bowman, providing his trainer Dennis Yip with the first leg of the double before Antoine Hamelin sealed a brace for the 2012/13 Hong Kong champion trainer with Sparkling Knight (Holy Roman Emperor) in the Class 4 Uncompromising Integrity Handicap (1000m).
David Hall continued an excellent season with the victory of Let’s Do It (Dane Shadow) in the first section of the Class 4 Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup Handicap (1200m) for Hugh Bowman.
Resuming after bleeding from both nostrils in March, the gelding posted his first Hong Kong win at his 23rd attempt to give Hall his 39th spoil of the season – only one shy of his personal best.
“I sent him up to Conghua and decided to put him over 1200 metres and he relaxed beautifully,” Hall said. “He had enough class in Class 4 to get the job done. It’s been quite frustrating – he’s had a lot of seconds and thirds [six in total] and some bad luck and he deserved to get a win.”