Last seen in Australia winning the inaugural $1million MRC Showdown in Victoria last year beating Stradbroke contender Hightail, Toronado (IRE) gelding Prince of Sussex finally made his Hong Kong debut a Sha Tin on Sunday.
Now trained by John Size and renamed Lucky Express, the three year-old has trialled on numerous occasions in Hong Kong since he transferred there at the end of last year, but this was his first race start.
Sent out favourite for the Class Two event over 1200m, he loomed into contention strongly over the final furlong, but probably peaked on his run just shy of the line to finish third beaten less than a length.
It was an encouraging effort and he can no doubt improve with further maturity as his career unfolds.
His dam Il Diamante has a yearling filly by Toronado and she is back in foal to him again.
Swettenham Stud’s Toronado has had a very successful season with some 46 Australian winners of nearly $3million in prizemoney including stakes-winner Still a Star, Group I placed Affair to Remember as well as four other Black Type horses in addition to his boom up and comers Masked Crusader and Master Montaro, who is also headed for Hong Kong.
