Kiwi bred sprinters filled the trifecta in the BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday making a powerful statement ahead of the Group I Longines HK International Sprint next month.
Last season’s Hong Kong Champion Griffin, Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) clocked 1m 07.55s – only fractionally slower than Sacred Kingdom’s 1m 07.50s – in notching his seventh win at his 10th start for jubilant trainer Manfred Man and all-conquering jockey Zac Purton.
Allowed to settle midfield after jumping from barrier 11, Lucky Sweynesse (Sweynesse) stalked the favourite Wellington before spearing clear over the final 200m to defeat Pierre Ng-trained pair Lucky Patch (NZ) (El Roca) and Duke Wai (NZ) (Per Incanto (USA).
“Obviously, he’s done it tough from awkward gates this time in but behind the gates I saw six jockeys trotting their horses up and they’ve all got speed and I knew it was going to be a bit messy,” Purton said.
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uo;But he didn’t begin that great. I didn’t have any option but to take the spot I got, which worked out well with the way the race was run. Master Eight got in my way a little bit, just prior to straightening, but I just tried to straighten him and it cost me a little bit of ground as I swung around him.
“I thought it was a soft win. He’s done a good job, he’s a horse on the way up.”
A $90,000 purchase for J & I Bloodstock from the Woburn Farm draft at the NZB Ready to Run Sale, Lucky Sweynesse is a full brother to Group I placed Signora Nera and is from stakes-winning Red Clubs mare Madonna Mia.
He becomes the fifth stakes-winner Lonhro stallion Sweynesse.
