Win Bright Captures Hong Kong Cup to Give Japan Three of the Four Features at Sha Tin

Mark Smith - Sunday December 8

The Japanese sent a strong contingent for this year’s International Race Day at Sha Tin and they carried of three of the four Group 1 races with Win Bright (JPN) putting the stamp on a great day when he edged the valiant Magic Wand (IRE) by a short-head in the days feature, the Group 1 The Longines Hong Kong Cup.

Win Bright fights off Magic Wand image Grant Courtney

Ridden by Masami Matsuoka, Win Bright raced one out one back with Ryan Moore on Magic Wand (IRE) on his inside.

While Win Bright (JPN) had an uninterrupted run in the straight, Magic Wand (IRE) did not seem to appreciate being crowed between runners but she is nothing if not game and after looking beaten 100 metres out she began to rally and was fast-catching the winner but fell a short-head short.

Local hope Rise High (FR) (Myboycharlie) was a half-length back in third.

Win Bright completes a stunning day for Japan at Sha Tin image Grant Courtney

“It went the way we were expecting. I thought the pace would be slow so I sat about third or fourth. I was really happy the way it went. It’s a great honour to be representing Japan,” Matsuoka said.

Ryan Moore was typically succinct.

Advertisement

 “She ran super, she was unlucky. She’s very game, he said.

A multiple Group II winner in his homeland, Win Bright (JPN) defeated Exultant and Lys Gracieux in the Group 1 QE II Cup at Sha Tin back in April.

A 5yo son of the Sunday Silence stallion Stay Gold, Win Bright is a brother to Win Fabulous who was runner-up in the 2015 Group 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies.

Their dam the 3-time winning Admire Cozzene mare Summer Eternity has a 2yo Orfevre (JPN) named Win Radiant and she had a filly foal by Deep Impact (JPN) this year.

Advertisment

Race Result - The Longines Hong Kong Cup Gr1 2000m

Sha Tin Track: Good Time: 2:00.52
1
Win Bright
- 6h Stay Gold (JPN) x Summer Eternity (JPN) (Admire Cozzene (JPN))
Tnr: Yoshihiro Hatakeyama Rdr: M Matsuoka 57
2
0.1
Magic Wand
- 5m Galileo (IRE) x Prudenzia (IRE) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: A O'Brien Rdr: Ryan Moore 55.5
3
0.6
Rise High
- 6g Myboycharlie (IRE) x Lana Girl (USA) (Arch (USA))
Tnr: C Fownes Rdr: C Y Ho 57
4
1.8
Furore
- 5g Pierro (AUS) x Stormy Choice (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: F C Lor Rdr: J Bowman 57
5
2.3
Edisa
- 4m Kitten's Joy (USA) x Ebiyza (IRE) (Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE))
Tnr: A De Royer-Dupre Rdr: S Pasquier 54
6
2.8
Glorious Forever
- 6g Archipenko (USA) x Here To Eternity (USA) (Stormy Atlantic (USA))
Tnr: F C Lor Rdr: Z Purton 57
7
3.5
Dark Dream
- 5g All American (AUS) x Buchanan Girl (AUS) (Lion Hunter (AUS))
Tnr: F C Lor Rdr: Damian Lane 57
8
7.0
Time Warp
- 7g Archipenko (USA) x Here To Eternity (USA) (Stormy Atlantic (USA))
Tnr: A S Cruz Rdr: K Teetan 57
More Reading...
Better Than Ready’s Metalart Wins Group 3 W J Healy Stakes
Improving off a third in the Listed Lightning Handicap at Eagle Farm recently, 4yo Better Than Ready gelding Metalart stepped up to 1200m to record his first black type success, winning the Group 3 W J Healy Stakes.
Wootton Bassett Winning Whirl
It was a red letter day for Wootton Bassett (GB) at The Curragh overnight with a treble of winners highlighted by top class filly Whirl, who captured the Group I Pretty Polly Stakes (1m2f), a race won by the mighty Via Sistina in 2023.
Miss Joelene Achieves Millionaire Status
This time last year, Miss Joelene was highlighting herself as one to watch for the future, having placed in the Group 2 The Roses and the Group 1 Queensland Oaks, and after a few runs behind the outstanding Antino (Redwood) this time in, a class drop on Saturday saw her record victory in the $200,000 Listed BRC Tattersall’s Gold Crown (2100m) at Eagle Farm.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 28
Here is the full list of 109 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Joy for Arrowfield and Oaklands Studs as Indy Champ Claims Mile Championship at Kyoto
The great Fastnet Rock appeared in the pedigrees of two runners in Sunday’s Group 1 The Mile Championship (1600m) at Kyoto, as the sire of Fiano Romano and the sire of the dam (Mosheen) of Primo Scene, but they were to prove bit players in a race where Indy Champ became the seventh horse to claim the Mile Championship - Yasuda Kinen double.
Bred To Be Good and Bad
While the Kiwi’s are patting themselves on the back for the sublime, Champions Mile hero, Beauty Generation (Road To Rock) they can also take some credit for the Chairman's Sprint Prize winner Beat The Clock (Hinchinbrook) as well as the Japanese-bred Win Bright (JPN) who captured the HKJC Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
Private Eye’s Half-Brother King’s Secret Wins Again
Although he may never reach the heights of his older half-brother Private Eye, a Group 1 winner and earner of more than $12m to date, connections of King’s Secret (Shalaa) are sure to have plenty of their own fun with the 3yo gelding winning at Rosehill on Saturday.
Almanzor Stayer wins G3 Tattersalls Cup
It's been a long time since the  2022 Victoria Derby and some may have wondered whether the winner Manzoice was ever going to win again!
Aussie 2YO SW for Tivaci
New Zealand-bred colt Matahga stamped himself as an exciting spring three-year-old prospect with a hard-fought victory in the A$120,000 Listed David Peacock Oaklands Plate (1400m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
Corumbene Stud Homebred Tashi Wins G1 Tatts Tiara
From the last crop of foals sired by Widden Stud’s much missed Golden Slipper winning sire Sebring, five year-old mare Tashi may also be his final Group I winner as she produced a career best performance at Eagle Farm on Saturday to win the $700,000 Group I Tatts Tiara (1400m).