breednet.com.au

HK Star returns to NZ in Top Form

Media Release - Sunday October 22

Having performed all the way up to the very highest level in Hong Kong, Karaka graduate Packing Eagle (Pins) took his career full-circle with a win in Saturday's $70,000 Group 3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) at Rotorua.

Packing EagleA son of the Group 1-placed O'Reilly mareSplashing Out(NZ), Packing Eagle was bred by Waikato Stud and was part of their draft at the 2012 Premier Sale. Hong Kong trainer Ricky Yiu secured him for $160,000.

After winning three trials in New Zealand, the youngster travelled to Hong Kong. Racing under his previous name Packing Pins, he won six races and placed in another three including the Group 1 Champions Mile.

Now trained in Cambridge by Trevor and Martin Cruz and raced by their mother Angel, Packing Eagle was unplaced on rain-affected tracks in his first two starts back in New Zealand in the Group 2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) and Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m).

Striking a good track for the first time in Saturday's Sweynesse Stakes, Packing Eagle and rider Trudy Thornton sat in a handy position before sprinting away impressively in the straight to win by two and a half lengths.

Advertisement

Among the beaten runners was his Group Three-winning half-brotherSplurge(NZ) (Savabeel).

"We've been waiting for a decent track and finally he was able to do what we thought he could," Trevor Cruz said. "He had to rediscover his form and he showed today that's he's still got the fight."

Packing Eagle has now had 22 starts for seven wins, five placings and prizemoney of $1.435 million – almost nine times his purchase price.

Vendor Waikato Stud Ltd
Purchaser Mr R Yiu (Hong Kong)
Breeding Pins – Splashing Out
Sale Lot 453, 2012 Premier Sale, $160,000
Advertisment
More Reading...
Switzerland To Stand Alongside Fellow Coolmore Stud Stakes Winner Home Affairs at Jerry’s Plains
Following on from a phenomenal year in the sales ring, which saw first crop Home Affairs yearlings sell for an aggregate of more than $31 million, fellow Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Switzerland will join him in the stallion barn in 2025.
One to Watch – Kembla
The juvenile maiden at Kembla on Tuesday was an intriguing affair featuring a number of well-bred and very expensive colts on debut, but the winner was a stylish first starter filly by Capitalist that broke 56 seconds for her debut win.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday April 15
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Yes Yes Yes It’s Been a Big Week for Kate Nivison!
This time last week passionate owner breeder Kate Nivison was basking in the success of having bred and sold a $1.7million Extreme Choice colt at Inglis Easter and today she was enjoying a different sort of success as a winning owner at Kembla.
Bloodstock Brains Behind the Big Stables
The modern world of big business horse training sees all the major players having trusted bloodstock agents as an integral part of their team and in the case of Bjorn Baker that person is Jim Clarke of Clarke Bloodstock.
Kiwi Sprint Star Crocetti Arrives in Perth
Kiwi Group One-winning sprinter Crocetti has landed in Perth ahead of next week’s A$5 million The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot Racecourse.
Pedigree Watch – Euro 3YO - Classic Potential
Interesting racing overnight at Newmarket with a couple of Classic key lead up stakes races for three year-olds and the winners were both first time stakes-winners, one from the family of Sydney autumn carnival staying star Alalcance and the other a homebred Dubawi filly for Juddmonte.
First G1 Winner for Admire Mars
Arrowfield Stud’s handsome Japanese shuttle sire Admire Mars (Jpn) is on the board with his first Group I winner after classy three year-old filly Embroidery captured the Group I Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas( (160m) at Hanshin on Sunday.
Who Do You Pick? Star Mares of Tomorrow
In chatting with our guest Jim Clarke this week on our Tara Talks Racing podcast we discussed a topic that will no doubt spark plenty of interest from our audience, if you could have one three year-old filly to take forward and race next season at four, who would it be?
Belclare Seeking to Find Best Form Back in Australia
Dual Group One winner Belclare’s return home for a three-race campaign didn’t go to plan earlier this year, and now she is back on the other side of the Tasman to try and get her preparation back on track.