News

Australian-Bred Realises Group 1 Potential in Hong Kong

16th Mar 2010

Stallions - Michelle Cullen - Monday, 15 March 2010

ANOTHER Australian-bred star burst onto the Hong Kong racing scene at yesterday’s prestigious Derby meeting at Sha Tin.

After long being touted as the region’s next big thing, Happy Zero broke through to claim his first Group 1 win in the HK Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup.

Happy Zero’s brave win in the $HK4.5million feature justified his rating as one of Hong Kong’s best horses. Trained by John Moore, Happy Zero was a $425,000 purchase at the 2006 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. After winning eight of his 11 starts, the son of Danzero, has now amassed $1.75 million in prizemoney.

It was only matter of time before Happy Zero was to become a Group 1 winner. He only narrowly missed out in last year’s G1 HK International Mile and had run third to fellow Australian-bred star Sacred Kingdom in the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize last start.

It was a dual celebration for Aushorse Chairman Antony Thompson, who prepared and sold Happy Zero as a yearling from his Hunter Valley based farm Widden Stud.

"It’s a proud moment for Widden Stud to have sold a horse of Happy Zero’s quality, but the win once again underlines the quality of horses buyers can expect to find when they shop in Australia," Thompson said.

"In the last 12 months, our two major sales companies, Magic Millions and Inglis, have sold international Group 1 winners at sales on the Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

"That fact underlines the strength of Australian horses across the entire country and our international results continue to go from strength to strength."

Australian-bred thoroughbreds won five races on the card including the $HK16M Hong Kong Derby (2000m) that was won by Silver Satin (NZ).

Super Satin was conceived at Coolmore’s Hunter Valley base and led home a quinella for outstanding shuttle stallion Danehill Dancer in the 2000m Derby.

He began his career in South Australia, winning his maiden at Cheltenham in July 2008 before being exported and rising through the grades in Hong Kong.

Photo by HKJC