Two well performed four year-olds from Australia in Sword Point and Sinba both won for the first time at Sha Tin on Sunday and have aspirations towards the Four-Year-Old Classic Series and the latter has a half-brother to be offered at Magic Millions.
Jamie Richards is hopeful Xtravagant gelding Sinba can qualify for the HK$12 million Hong Kong Classic Mile after an eye-catching victory under Karis Teetan in the Class 3 Tsz Wan Shan Handicap (1400m) to earn a HK$1 million PP Bonus.
“He’s a nice progressive horse who’s got a fair bit of upside, so hopefully he can continue to improve,” Richards said.
“His rating (71) is still a little bit low, so we’ll just have to see.”
A $90,000 Inglis Classic purchase from the Newhaven Park draft for Ric Wylie Bloodstock / Mark Richard, Sinba won four races in Australia when trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou.
Sinba has a half-brother by Nicconi that will be offered by Edinglassie Thoroughbreds as Lot 1139 at Magic Millions this week.
Last seen in Australia finishing third in the Group II ATC Tulloch Stakes, the former Chris Waller trained gelding Sword Point opened his account at his third run for new trainer Frankie Lor.
The son of American Pharaoh (USA) gave Hugh Bowman an easy ride to dash away and win the Class 3 Keung Shan Handicap (1800m) by nearly three lengths improving sharply on his previous run when he was outpaced over 1400m last month.
Bowman said James McDonald’s advice to step the gelding up in trip after a last-start 12th over 1400m was crucial.
“He’s a nice horse, he needed that extra distance – he couldn’t show that (ability) over the shorter trip but some advice from James McDonald after last start to go up in distance worked,” Bowman said.
“It’s a very sensible horse and he’s got a bright future.”
A $750,000 Magic Millions purchase for Waller Racing/Mulcaster Bloodstock from the Coolmore draft, Sword Point is from Group III winning Fastnet Rock mare Jazz Song, who produced a filly by Wootton Bassett (GB) last spring and was then covered by Home Affairs.
