Champions Day in Hong Kong on Sunday proved a memorable one for the Aquis team here in Australia.
On a day when three international Group One races - the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup, the Champions Mile and the Chairman's Sprint Prize - were staged on the same day for the first time, Aquis had a historic quinella in the HK$1,310,000 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Handicap (1600m).
The winner Land Grant (High Chaparral) and the runner-up Famous
Warrior (Husson) were both private purchases brokered by Aquis for its
extensive Hong Kong client base.
This quinella came on the back of a recent victory by another winning graduate of Aquis' Hong Kong private purchases program in Complacency (Charge Forward), who, like Famous Warrior, is trained by Michael Freedman.
Complacency was purchased by Aquis Hong Kong clients on the back of two barrier trial victories at Randwick in May last year. He is a half-brother to the dual Hong Kong Group One winner Contentment (Hussonet) and made a very impressive start to his racing career when winning on debut last month and has now earned over HK$530,000 from just three starts to-date.
Famous Warrior set a track record in the Grafton Guineas last July before being purchased by Aquis and of course being a son of Husson – a sire that is particularly successful in Hong Kong – appealed to Aquis' Head of Asian and Private Sales Tom Inglis; "Famous Warrior had been successful on predominantly firm tracks and setting a class record by a sire very successful in Hong Kong (Husson) he covered all bases.''
Husson has been making a big impact both in Hong Kong and neighbouring Macau with the rising star miler of Hong Kong racing in Nothingilikemore, a winner of 6 races from 9 starts in Hong Kong, including the Listed HKJC Hong Kong Classic Mile, and the recent dual Stakes-winner in Macau in Boganaire; winner of the Listed Macau Winter Trophy and the Listed Macau Spring Trophy.
"Complacency was related to a great horse in Hong Kong and his sire Charge Forward has much better statistics with his 3YOs than with his juveniles so they both met our criteria and have been been great in their short careers thus far."
Sunday's Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Handicap winner Land Grant had five starts in Australia netting him over A$75,000 in prize-money before being purchased by Aquis for the Hong Kong market and he has since gone on to net over A$500,000 in earnings for his connections.
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