Former Melbourne Galloper Score Group One for Size at Sha Tin
- Monday, 03 February 2003 00:00
Size, who'd earlier on the program won one of the other feature events with the rejuvenated galloper Century Star, saddled up the third favourite in the first leg of the 2002/03 Champion Sprint Series.
Grand Delight, who won the 2001 Group One Emirates Stakes at Flemington when known as Desert Eagle, upset the warm favourites Firebolt (Weichong Marwing for Ivan Allan) and All Thrills Too (Gerald Mosse for David Hayes).
Despite being better known as a 1400 to 1600 metre galloper the son of Hurricane Sky was too strong finishing too well for in form jockey Shane Dye.
The winner stopped the clock at 56.3 seconds, a fast time that All Thrills Too ran in last December's Group One International Sprint. The final 400 metres in the race was covered in a sizzling 22 seconds.
Size has a great chance of completing a feature race trifecta when he saddles up Dr More one of the leading fancies in the Group Three The Centenary Vase (2000m). That race will be run at 8.10pm (AEST time).
Treble for Hayes in Hong Kong
- Sunday, 26 January 2003 00:00
Champion trainer David Hayes continued his great run of winning form
in Hong Kong with a winning treble at Sha Tin yesterday.And to add even more merit to the performance two of Hayes' three winners were homebreds from Lindsay Park in South Australia's pictuesque Barossa Valley.
Hayes' winning run kicked off in the fourth race when the son of Anabaa, Songs of Praise led home his rivals in a Class 4 Handicap over 2000 metres.
The win was the first of four victories for South Australian riding sensation Dwayne Dunn.
Hayes made it an immediate double when he won the very next race with On Shan Express (Euclse-My Prima Donna) in the Class 5 Handicap over 1400 metres.
With top class hoop Gerald Mosse in the saddle, On Shan Express downed Over Subscribe by a neck, while Eastern Tycoon finished third.
The Hayes treble and Lindsay Park bred double was completed when the impressive performer Celestial Magic (Fraar-Flying Esra) thrashed his rivals in a Class 3 Handicap.
With Dwayne Dunn in the saddle the Meadowvale Pastoral bred galloper made a one act affair of the eighth race, winning by three lengths.
PIC - Quentin Lang.
Ownership in Singapore Enters New Era
- Monday, 30 December 2002 00:00
Racehorse ownership in Singapore is entering a new era with the newly formed Singapore Turf Club Racing Management Private Limited (STCRM) creating exciting opportunities for both new and existing owners.
The latest initiative from the Singapore Turf Club (STC) will pave the way for a new kind of ownership. One which will see the thrills of racehorse ownership and the enjoyment of an outing at the races combined at an affordable price.
STCRM has been created specifically by the STC to make racehorse ownership more affordable and will provide its participants with all the social enjoyment of the racetrack along with the chance to compete for over $39 million in prizemoney annually. One such avenue will be through racing trusts.
The very first racing trust, scheduled to be offered to the public in January 2003, will be known as Orange Racing Trust and will comprise 50 stakeholders who will own and race a stable of five racehorses from Australia. Five of Singapores top trainers have been selected to train the thoroughbreds and they will be professionally managed by Mr Larry Foley, who has been seconded from his position as Assistant Manager (Racing Liaison) of the STC, to full-time Manager for STCRM.
"STCRM has been designed to make owning a racehorse easy. The STCRM team will be responsible for the overall management of the horses and will be answerable to the racing trust stakeholders. This will allow stakeholders to sit back and enjoy the experience of racehorse ownership. A part of the experience will be the opportunity to interact with some of the best trainers and jockeys that Singapore has to offer. The fact that five racehorses will be involved in the first scheme means the Orange Racing Trust colours should be a regular feature at Kranji, keeping the interest up all year round."
"With the outstanding facilities available for racehorse owners in Singapore, more people are becoming aware of the social aspect of racing and the thrills of ownership and a racing trust is an ideal introduction into the King of Sports, said Foley.
Mr David Chester, Managing Director of Magic Millions, a highly reputable bloodstock organisation from Australia, had carefully selected the five racehorses, which met with STCRMs strict criteria for soundness and pedigree. The $39 million in prizemoney on offer to these thoroughbreds includes the 27 feature races that are staged at Kranji annually. Races like the $3 million Singapore Airlines International Cup, the $1.25 million Singapore Gold Cup and the $1 million Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Sprint can possibly be won by a racing trust racehorse for a relatively small outlay by the stakeholder.
Stakeholders of the racing trusts will in addition enjoy many benefits including dividends from prizemoney won each year. Benefits such as an exclusive web page, stable tours, raceday functions, monthly newsletters and racing education seminars will also be available to stakeholders. On racedays, stakeholders can enjoy the luxuries of the Owners Lounge, complimentary admission to all race meetings at Kranji, free parking and the privilege to bring along one guest every raceday.
Mr Lau Kian Heng, Senior Vice President (Racing) believes the racing trusts will see the emergence of a new generation of racehorse owners in Singapore.
"The Club had received numerous inquiries from professionals and businessmen who are keen to own a share in racehorses and would like to start in a small way. STCRM will now offer these racing enthusiasts a hassle-free way of owning a racehorse. Stakeholders of racing trusts can be assured that their racehorses will be managed professionally in their best interest", said Mr Lau.
A prospectus outlining all of the details of Orange Racing Trust will be available in January 2003. For more information please contact Mr Larry Foley, Manager, STC Racing Management at (65) 6879 1698 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Media Release - Singapore Turf Club
Kiwi Hoop Colgan Off to Singapore
- Friday, 24 January 2003 00:00
The (Singapore Turf) Club has granted New Zealand rider Vincent Colgan a three-month visiting permit with immediate effect.
The 27-year-old Colgan, who is sponsored by trainer Douglas Dragon, is currently in 33rd place in the New Zealand Jockeys Premiership with 15 winners. Licensed by the New Zealand Racing Conference, he has 11 years of riding experience.
Colgan started out as an apprentice in 1991 and during his five-year apprenticeship finished within the top eight each year. He obtained his professional jockeys licence in 1996 and has since netted 596 winners. His best year was in the 1998/99 season when he finished seventh in the New Zealand Jockeys Championship with 69 wins.
To date, Colgan has won 18 Listed and 32 Group races including the 1993 Avondale Cup, the 1995, 1997 and 1999 New Zealand Derby, the 1999 Manawatu Sires Produce, the 2000 Wellington Guineas and the 2001 Awapuni Gold Cup.
Jockey Colgan goes to scale at 53kg.
Media Release - Singapore Turf Club
Former Kiwi Star Wins in Hong Kong
- Monday, 23 December 2002 00:00
The race was the second appearance in Hong Kong for Grout who is now trained by Tony Cruz.
Grout, who is known in Hong Kong as Raider, was ridden in the race by top jockey Felix Coetzee.
In New Zealand Grout won twice at Gr. 1 level in the Manawatu and Ellerslie Sires' Produce Stakes. He was named the Mercedes Two Year Old of the year for the 2001-02 season.
Grout had finished fourth in his Hong Kong debut.
Media Release - TNZ
Aussie Breds Highly Rated for Singapore Feature
- Wednesday, 22 January 2003 00:00
BLIZZ BLESS and MOON SHADOW, two of the highest-rated gallopers in Kranji take pride of place among 11 entries filed for the $250,000 EW Barker Memorial Trophy. The 1,400-metre race, scheduled for Sunday, 26 January 2003 promises to be an exciting affair.
Trainer Patrick Shaw has also entered rising star QUE EXPRESION and both stablemates look formidable in the Singapore Group 2 feature. BLIZZ BLESS, who is back in form, looks primed for a back-to-back victory. The Argentine-bred has won seven times, four of which were over this trip.
Last year, he won this feature in a swift 1 min 23.0 sec and then went on to capture the 1,200-metre Fischer Stakes and the 1,600-metre Derby Trial. He showed a return to winning ways when he ran out an easy winner in the Class 1 1,600 metres race two weeks ago.
QUE EXPRESION, who won the MRA Cup last year, has proven ability over this trip. The Silver Plate feature was among his four victories over 1,400 metres. The five-year-old Argentine-bred carried 59kg when he went down second to MAYOS MUSIC, but he is carrying 2kg less this time round.
The Don Baertschiger-trained MOON SHADOW returned to winning form when he whipped a Class 1 field over 1,200 metres on 27 December 2002. The five-year-old son of Bellotto has to date won eight times in 13 starts.
Of champion trainer Malcolm Thwaites trio of STORM RACER, SUPERIOR SERVICE and SETON HALL, STORM RACER looks his best bet. The Racers Edge five-year-old has won four times, last of which was in November 2002. He is racing fresh.
Trainer John Meaghers MAYOS MUSIC, who defeated QUE EXPRESION in the 1,400m Class 1 race on 5 January, is carrying the same weight.
If trainer Laurie Laxons TITAN HAPPINESS can reproduce the same bursts of speed as shown in his recent victory over 1,200 metres, he should also be in the firing line. Among his six wins were two over 1,400 metres races.
Other entries with their respective trainers are: FIRE HOUSE (Patrick Busuttin); LEAD TO VICTORY (Charles Read) and GRAND PARADE (Anthony Riley).
Formerly known as Silver Cup, the E W Barker Memorial Trophy was first staged last year to honour the late Mr E W Barker who was the Club's Chairman from 1988 to 1994.
Media Release - Singapore Turf Club
Zabenz's Jumps Rival Dies in the US
- Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:00
The futute jumping success of the former star
Australasian jumper Zabenz was enhanced when the talented yankee jumper It's a Giggle died
late last week.A Grade One winner over the steeples, It's a Giggle died after a short and lethal bout of colic. He was euthanised in Carolina on Friday afternoon.
It's a Giggle, who was beaten by Zabenz when the pair last met in the a Grade One jump, was a three time winner at the sport's elite level.
Owned by Bill Pape, the eight-year-old had only started on 19 occasions and had scored nine wins and four minor placings, netting connections US$353,160.
The gelding's trainer Jonathan Sheppard confirmed the news and expressed his extreme disappointment.
"It's very disappointing and we are all just devastated," he told reporters. "We tried to protect him and do what was right this fall (he missed major events because of soft tracks) so he could come back and compete for a championship this year."
"I think we did right by the horse, which is all you can do," he added. "Then this happens, and it's very hard."
PICS - Quentin Lang.
Size Galloper Wins Hong Kong Group One
- Sunday, 19 January 2003 00:00
It was to be a clash between the joint-highest rated in horse in Hong Kong and the reigning Horse of the Year. Fourteen went to post but the betting showed 11/1 bar two just prior to the off.
In the end, however, there was only one horse in it as the John Size-trained Electronic Unicorn, ridden by Robbie Fradd, ran out an emphatic victor from his stable companion, Dr More.
Unextended through the final furlong, 'The Unicorn' won by three and three-quarter lengths. Ivan Allan's pair of Housemaster and Olympic Express occupied third and fourth slots.
A steady opening 800m of the race saw Olympic Express racing close up but with cover and Electronic Unicorn settled about six or seven lengths off the pace. Still towards the rear but travelling smoothly off the home turn, Electronic Unicorn accelerated and hit the front with 250m to race to huge cheers from the tens of thousands of race fans that had made him the 10/9 on favourite and ran on strongly.
"I had a freer run today but he's done it so well," an overjoyed Fradd said later. "In the [Hong Kong] Mile last time he didn't like it on the fence and he got a couple of nudges and never travelled well until they straightened up. Today, drawn outside, he was happier with plenty of room and I was always pretty confident. He's shown that he's still the one that they all have to reckon with."
It was Fradd's third straight Stewards' Cup success having won Fairy King Prawn in 2001and on Electronic Unicorn 12 months ago.
The next leg of the Triple Crown is the Hong Kong Gold Cup (HKGr.1-2000m) on February 23, a race that promises to be one to savour with Hong Kong Cup winner Precision likely to join the fray.
Media Release - HKJC
Plenty of Thrills for David in Sprint
- Sunday, 15 December 2002 00:00
Australian trainer David Hayes described the win of All Thrills Too in today's $2.25 million Hong Kong International Sprint (Group 1) as the hihglight of his career in that country.
The Lindsay Park "boss" made up for a placing in the race last year with the same horse, by decisively winning today's rich race over 1000 metres.
All Thrills Too enjoyed a good run just off the speed throughout before switching to the centre of the track and powering away from his rivals for a length and a half win.
Hayes described the win as his greatest thrill in Hong Kong, where he is a multiple premiership winner.
"This is my biggest thrill in Hong Kong," a beaming Hayes said while flanked by Lindsay Park's Australian representative Mark Pilkington.
"I was confident, but that is a trait of mine," Hayes said
after the win. "I knew he had improved from last year, just with muturity, he is a
big long horse but he has got a lot more solid."
Winning jockey Gerald Mosse was at his brilliant best guiding the Aussie bred sprinter to victory.
"I had a dream run with great cover midfield," Mosse reported. "He is normally a bit keen but he was quiet today, almost too quiet and at the 400 metres I was harder at him earlier than I wanted."
"But it worked," the winning rider summed up.
On the line All Thrills Too found plenty to hold out the Weichong Marwing mount Firebolt, while the champion Australian sprinter Falvelon ran a gallant third in his quest to win three consecutive runnings of the sprint.
Elegant Fashion Highlights Hayes' Sha Tin Double
- Sunday, 19 January 2003 00:00
Former Australian based galloper Elegant Fashion
has made a great start to her Hong Kong career when she won one of the feature races on
today's Sha Tin card.Now in the care of record breaking trainer David Hayes, the brilliant daughter of Danewin surprised many locals when she proved too good in the Mr Vitality Class One Handicap over 1400 metres.
A winner of the Group Two Moonee Valley Oaks (2040m) in March last year, Elegant Fashion had not raced since finishing unplaced in the Group One Toorak Handicap at Caulfield in October.
Today's narrow success over Raider and Century Star was Elegant Fashion's fourth win for prominent owner Gene Tsoi. Locals virtually dismissed the Danewin mare sending her out at nearly 40/1.
Elegant Fashion's strong win brought up a race to race double for Hayes, who cheered home the in form Tom's First to win the previous event, a million (HK) dollar Class 2 event over 1600 metres in easy style.
A son of the Collingrove Stud based siring sensation Danehill Dancer, Tom's First has now won his last two starts in impressive fashion, both over the mile.
PIC - Quentin Lang.
Precision Gives Locals More Joy
- Sunday, 15 December 2002 00:00
Completing the greatest day in the history of Hong Kong racing, Precision drove to an upset victory Sunday in the 16th running of the HK$18-million Hong Kong Cup (G1) at Sha Tin Racecourse.
Benefiting from a brilliant ride by Mick Kinane, the four-year-old gelding by Anabaa prevailed by a short head over Germany's representative, Paolini. Precision thus became the third Hong Kong-based runner to emerge victorious in the 2002 Hong Kong International Races.
Paolini was a half-length better than Dano-Mast, the representative from Denmark, who finished third. They were followed in order in the field of 12 by Sarafan, Eishin Preston, Housemaster, favoured Grandera, Indian Creek, Come See You, Dr. More, Cellini and Royal Treasure.
Precision's time for the 2000-metre distance was 2:07.1. Sent off at the huge odds of almost 66/1, he returned the highest win mutuel in the history of Hong Kong's international racing festival. Precision is owned by Wu Sai Wing, whose smile in the Sha Tin winner's circle seemed brighter than the fireworks display that followed the International Races programme.
"I had a smooth run on the outside, while everyone else was having a rough time on the rail," Kinane said.. "When I asked Precision to quicken he did it very well. I have to admit it is a bit of a surprise, but it's great to finish the season like this."
"This is my first international victory, and it means an awful lot," said the victorious trainer, David Oughton. Born in England, the 46-year-old Oughton has been training in Hong Kong for 15 years.
Last April, Oughton sent out Precision to a seventh-place finish in the Audemars Piguet QE II Cup (G1) at Sha Tin. Oughton's charge, inarguably, has improved since then. "He has strengthened up with work," said Oughton. "This is wonderful for Hong Kong racing"
On March 17 of this year, Olympic Express and Precision finished one-two in Sha Tin's Hong Kong Derby.
On Sunday, Olympic Express defeated a field of crack international contenders in the Hong Kong Mile (G1). Approximately a half-hour later, Precision did the same in the Hong Kong Cup.
Andreas Suborics, who rode Paolini, was gallant in defeat. "I'm so glad Paolini has proved he is as good as we always thought," Suborics said. "I had a dream ride, no excuses. But it's always disappointing to be beaten by such a small margin."
In 2001, the Japan representatives Agnes Digital, Eishin Preston and Stay Gold were triumphant in the Hong Kong Cup, Mile and Vase (G1). But this year, it was Hong Kong's turn to register what a hat trick on their home field.
The crowd at Sha Tin numbered 55,451.
Media Release - HKIR