The sad loss of Yarraman Park's Hinchinbrook was highlighted yet again at Sha Tin on Sunday when his quality sprinter Beat the Clock claimed another major victory in the Group I Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m).
Beat The Clock displayed the class that has made him a champion to complete back-to-back wins in the HK$10 million feature.
The ever-reliable bay’s narrow victory over Thanks Forever sealed a Group 1 double on the day for trainer John Size and jockey Joao Moreira, following Waikuku’s defeat of Beauty Generation in the Stewards’ Cup (1600m).
Beat The Clock’s success was his fourth at the highest level and maintained his incredible record of placing top three in all 24 career starts – 10 in the prime spot.
“Good horses always know where the finish line is and they know what they’re being asked for, which is to cross that finish line first,” Moreira said of Hong Kong’s champion sprinter.
But all was not plain sailing for the Brazilian and his mount. Plan A was binned when Beat The Clock was last to break in the seven-runner field, forcing his rider to improvise.
“I was a bit worried about it but there was nothing I could have done about it,” Moreira said. “Just a fraction before the gates opened he wanted to lunge into the front gates and when he was coming back, that was when the gates opened, so he wasn’t able to step out with them.
“He quickly got back into the race. I had to give him a chance from there, just ride for luck and the split came at the right time. Once again he proved that he’s probably the best sprinter in Hong Kong.”
The six-year-old wound up and hit the lead approaching the final 100m and held the battling Thanks Forever by a head with another Size-trained galloper Hot King Prawn third. The winning time was 1m 08.57s after Beat The Clock sprinted the final 400m in 21.91s.
“He seems to overcome the circumstances of a race, whatever they may be, to win. That’s something you can’t deal with, he just does it himself,” Size said of last month’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) hero.
“He gives you a very nervous time and a very nervous feel but it’s one of relief when they deliver. That’s a high-rating win, his last win, so to repeat that is very difficult but that just means he’s got more there. He’s a worthy winner of four Group 1s and he deserves it.”
Bred by Jilly Henderson from Lion Hunter mare Flion Fenena, Beat the Clock was a $200,000 NZB Ready to Run purchase from the Prima Park draft and was a successful pinhook for them having been originally snapped up for $70,000 from the Yarraman Park draft at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Eureka Stud sold the yearling three-quarter sister to Beat the Clock by Your Song at Magic Millions 2020 for $90,000 to Ontrack Thoroughbreds.
Flion Fenena was bought by Harry McAlpine for $120,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and has a Smart Missile filly foal and was covered last spring by Encryption.
The final crop of yearlings by Hinchinbrook are selling this year and were in hot demand at the 2020 Magic Millions with 17 yearlings averaging $258,529, his best result a colt from Harlem Heat that made $1,150,000.
Hinchinbrook Sprinter wins G1 Centenary Sprint Cup Again!
Advertisment
Race Result - The Centenary Sprint Cup Gr1 1200m
Sha Tin Track: Good Time: 1:08.57
Tnr: J J Size Rdr: J Moreira 57
Tnr: J Moore Rdr: Grant Van Niekerk 57
Tnr: J J Size Rdr: K Teetan 57
Tnr: Richard Gibson Rdr: C Soumillon 57
Tnr: F C Lor Rdr: J Bowman 57
Tnr: J J Size Rdr: Z Purton 57
Tnr: J J Size Rdr: B Shinn 57
More Reading...
Woodside Park Stud 2024 Fees Announced - Hypo Matings for All Stallions
Woodside Park Stud have confirmed fees on their six strong roster for this spring headed by new addition Benbatl (GB), a triple Group I winning sin of Dubawi, who won the Group I MRC Caulfield Stakes in 2018 and chased Winx home for second in the Cox Plate.
Dundeel Colt Epimeles Triumphs in Anzac Day Stakes
A plan formulated when Epimeles made a winning debut at Sandown-Lakeside on March 27 paid off when the son 2-year-old son of Dundeel kept his unbeaten record intact in the Listed Anzac Day Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.
Golden Slipper Filly for Hinchinbrook
Yarraman Park’s much missed Hinchinbrook has had some cracking fillies in the past including his Group I winners Seabrook and Spright, but he looks to have one that might be the best of them all in exciting two year-old Cellsabeel.
2020 begins with a G1 bang for Inglis Graduates in Hong Kong
It was a case of deja vu in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin, with Inglis Premier Yearling Sale graduate Beat The Clock (Hinchinbrook x Flion Fenena) triumphing for the second consecutive year in the 1200m feature.
Last Crop of Hinchinbrook Delivers $1.15 Million Colt
Yarraman Park have had an outstanding sale at Magic Millions, but it’s one tinged with a sense of what could have been given the hot demand for the last crop of yearlings by their much missed sire Hinchinbrook.
Super Easy Sold to WA Stud
Hallmark Stud have announced that their resident stallion Super Easy will continue his breeding career across the Tasman following his recent purchase by Lewthwaite Thoroughbreds.
The Stars Come Out at Sha Tin for Champions Day
The crowd will flock to Sha Tin on Sunday for Champions Day, which features three of the most popular horses in recent years: Golden Sixy, California Spangle, and Romantic Warrior.
Kiwi Bred Almanzor Fillies Quinella Listed St Leger
Cambridge Stud stallion Almanzor played a starring role at Flemington on Anzac Day, siring the quinella in the A$200,000 Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) with his three-year-old daughters Ahuriri and Alma Rise.
Sires With Winners - Thursday April 25
Here is the full list of 94 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Te Akau Look to Keep Almanzor Winning Run Going in Adelaide
Te Akau Racing’s Mark Walker was busy packing on Thursday morning as he readied himself for a trip to Adelaide to link up with a five-strong arsenal from the team’s Cranbourne base that will contest most of the major events at Morphettville on Saturday.