Tomodachi Kokoroe’s remarkable renaissance continues with scintillating Premier Bowl win
Tomodachi Kokoroe (Written Tycoon) sensationally catapulted himself into Hong Kong International Races reckoning after running the second-fastest 1200 metres time in Hong Kong racing history to scoop the Premier Bowl Handicap (Gr 2, 1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (26 October).
The only horse to ever run 1200 metres faster in Hong Kong is Tomodachi Kokoroe’s stablemate Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress), the world’s top-rated sprinter.
The win came courtesy of a perfectly judged ride from Harry Bentley, who has now won three of four rides with the galloper. The Englishman settled the gelding perfectly, one off the rail behind the speed, and produced him at the 300-metre pole before flashing home past a group of early pace-setters. It was a ride that didn’t escape the attention of delighted trainer David Hayes.
“Sometimes you paint a race map that you pray your horse will get, and Harry [Bentley] put him in that spot,” Hayes said.
“Harry wasn’t happy with the run he gave him last time, but was shocked by how he fought and held on. And then when he gave him a good run, like first up, he’s killed it. That was a ten-out-of-ten ride.”
The win marks the continuation of an incredible late-career renaissance for the seven-year-old, who didn’t register a single win in ten Class 2 outings last season.
Hayes is now in the enviable position of having two world-class sprinters in his yard, who may well provide the stiffest opposition for each other at the December showpiece.
“He runs time, so you can’t ignore that,” said the Australian Hall of Fame trainer. “If he gets a good run in a big race, he’ll run well.
“He’ll probably run in the traditional (HKIR) lead-up race – the trial [the Group Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint, 1200m], he’ll run on that day. And whether he runs against Ka Ying [Rising], we’ll see how Ka Ying does when he gets out of quarantine.”
Raging Blizzard (Per Incantor) ran on well for a hard-earned runner-up cheque under Brenton Avdulla. Packing Hermod (Rubick) finished third with Zac Purton.
Meanwhile, Pierre Ng soared back to form with an unlikely double completed by his high-profile debutant Sagacious Life (Put It Back), who claimed a shock win in the Class 2 Panasonic Cup Handicap (1600m). Ridden by seven-pound claiming apprentice Britney Wong, the Brazilian import flashed home in a blistering 22.66s last-200m split to pip Steps Ahead (Written By) to the Cup at 32/1.
The four-year-old, who claimed the Derby Paulista (Gr 1, 2400m) by over four lengths in his last act before departing for Hong Kong, will now be aimed at the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, which gets underway on 1 February with the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m).
“It’s a long way to come,” Ng said. “He trialled well over 1000 metres and 1200 metres and in a mile trial in Conghua, he was superb. Today we were looking for prize-money and he actually won.
“We have [the BMW Hong Kong Derby, 2000m] in the back of our minds. Now he’ll get some points, that will be his target.”
In addition to the HK$1.74 million first place cheque, Sagacious Life’s connections net a PP Bonus worth HK$3 million for the galloper’s first win in Class 2 with a rating of 80 or higher.
Ng had earlier recorded an overdue second win of the season when he took out the card-opening Class 5 Panasonic Air-Conditioner Handicap (1800m) with On The Lash (Savabeel). Luke Ferraris maintained his excellent early-season form with victory on the five-year-old.
On a banner day for debutants, unraced three-year-old Ever Luck (Capitalist) lived up to the hype that followed a commanding recent barrier trial performance to score on his maiden start under James Orman in the Class 4 Panasonic TV Handicap (1200m).
The win continued a record of winners at 12 successive meetings for trainer Mark Newnham, who sits four wins clear of Caspar Fownes at the trainers’ championship summit. But the win wasn’t without its controversy. The inexperienced gelding had to overcome drifting extremely wide off the bend – and into the running of Zac Purton on the eventual second Georgian Sigma (Shalaa). Following a lengthy stewards’ inquiry, Ever Luck was awarded an impressive maiden win.
Australian import Alpha Strike (I Am Immortal) won at his first attempt in Hong Kong when the four-year-old Fownes trainee claimed the Class 3 Technics Headphones Handicap (1000m) under Vincent Ho.
Orman sealed his second win of the meeting in the Class 4 Panasonic Rice Cooker Handicap (1400m), charging through in a tight finish to claim his fourth winner of the season on board Bright Day (Starcraft) and a ninth for handler Manfred Man.
There was a surprise winner of the Class 4 Panasonic Smart Lock Handicap (1600m) when Time To Fire (Time Test) – saddled by David Hall and on a seven-day back-up – burst through late under Matthew Poon to salute at odds of 67/1.
Jamie Richards scored for the first time in four meetings when Goldentronicmighty (Harry Angel) held on to take a competitive Class 4 Panashop Handicap (1200m) under Keith Yeung.
Dylan Mo grabbed his second win of the season when he saluted on talented long-term ally Winning Wing (Preferment) for Francis Lui in the Class 3 Panasonic Vitalift Handicap (2000m).
Zac Purton registered – for the ninth successive meeting – when he took the card-closing Class 3 Panasonic Washer Dryer Handicap (1400m) aboard Top Dragon (Pierata) for Chris So.