Can the Australasian Bred Sprinters Win in HK on Sunday?

Tara Madgwick - Thursday December 5

Australasian bred sprinters have dominated the Group I Hong Kong Sprint accounting for eight of the past 10 winners so let’s take a look at the candidates for this Sunday following the barrier draw.

The honour roll in the past 10 years looks like this with last year’s winner Lucky Sweynesse having a full brother to be offered at Karaka 2025 as Lot 93.

Year

Horse Name (Sire)

Country/Region

Trainer

2023

LUCKY SWEYNESSE (NZ) (Sweynesse)

HK

K L Man

2022

WELLINGTON (AUS) (All Too Hard)

HK

R Gibson

2021

SKY FIELD (AUS) (Deep Field)

HK

C Fownes

2020

DANON SMASH (JPN) (Lord Kanaloa)

JPN

T Yasuda

2019

BEAT THE CLOCK (AUS) (Hinchinbrook)

HK

J Size

2018

MR STUNNING (AUS) (Exceed and Excel)

HK

F C Lor

2017

MR STUNNING (AUS) (Exceed and Excel)

HK

J Size

2016

AEROVELOCITY (NZ) (Pins)

HK

P O’Sullivan

2015

PENIAPHOBIA (IRE) (Dandy Man)

HK

A S Cruz

2014

AEROVELOCITY (NZ) (Pins)

HK

P O’Sullivan

Ka Ying Rising looked in great shape at trackwork this week - image Grant Courtney

Race favourite for Sunday is the David Hayes trained up and comer Ka Ying Rising, who has won eight of 10 starts including his last seven in a row, but is yet to win at G1 level.

A four year-old gelding by Shamexpress, Ka Ying Rising was bought privately to race in Hong Kong.

He is the first winner for Missy Moo, a five time winning Per Incanto (USA) mare that traces directly back to blue hen Taiona, the dam of Group I winners Sovereign Red, Gurner’s Lane and Trichelle with the family also producing modern day superstar Mr Brightside, who is trained by the sons of David Hayes at their Australian Lindsay Park training base in Victoria.

Advertisement

Both Mr Brightside and Ka Ying rising have Taiona as their fourth dam!

Other runners this year bred in Australasia are: Victor the Winner (Toronado (IRE), Invincible Sage (Thronum), Flying Ace (Swiss Ace), Recommendation (Shalaa IRE), Lucky With You (Artie Schiller (USA), Helios Express (Toronado (IRE) and Howdeepisyourlove (Deep Field).

Also adding interest are a pair of Irish bred sons of Australian sire Starspangledbanner in California Spangle (IRE) and Beauty Waves (IRE), while Zoustar has a runner with his well travelled three year-old colt Starlust (GB) chasing a second G1 following his victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita last month.

Beware the Japanese trio of sprinters Lugal, Toshin Macau and Satono Reve, who is the most lightly raced of them with seven wins from 10 starts and is by Lord Kanaloa, who won this race himself twice in 2012 and 2013 and has also sired a winner in Danon Smash.

Advertisment
More Reading...
SWs in foal to Wootton Bassett and Snitzel headline the June (Early) Online Sale
Stakes winners in foal to Wootton Bassett and Snitzel, along with a significant number of young, well-bred racing and breeding prospects headline another intriguing catalogue for the Inglis Digital June (Early) Online Sale.
Sires With Winners - Thursday June 5
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
North Pacific 2YO Ready to Win
Byerley Park trainer Steven Cole will head to Ellerslie with a quartet of runners on Saturday, and he is particularly upbeat about the chances of Pacific Breeze in the Network Visuals 1200.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday June 4
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kicked out of Australia - Jan Brueghel Wins G1 Coronation
The horse kicked out of Australia last spring as not having suitable scans to race in the Melbourne Cup, Jan Brueghel showed just what we missed out on seeing when taking out the Group I Betfred Coronation Cup (1m4f) at Epsom overnight.
Impressive First Winner for St Marks Basilica
Coolmore shuttler St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) was the 2021 European Horse of the Year and the son of Siyouni is on the board as a sire with his first winner after Rogue Supremacy scored an impressive debut victory.
Another Day, Another Stakes-Winner for Wootton Bassett
A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.
€1.85million Sale-Topping Frankel Filly Wins Epsom Oaks for Coolmore
The Group I Epsom Oaks (1m4f) had a raging hot favourite in undefeated Godolphin entry Desert Flower, but she came up short in her first try at the classic trip going down to finish third behind the Aidan O’Brien trained duo Minnie Hauk (Frankel and Whirl (Wootton Bassett).
Inglis Ready 2 Race Entries Open
Entries for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale – Australasia’s most progressive 2YO Sale – are now open.
Sires With Winners - Friday June 6
Here is the full list of 31 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.