News

Australians dominate China horse racing championships

2nd Nov 2011

For the second year in a row Australian bred horses starred at China’s Flat Racing Championships in Wuhan over the weekend, taking out four of the five thoroughbred races.

The highlight of Saturday’s fixture at the Orient Lucky City International Racecourse was the Three-Year-Old Championship over 2100m, which was won by BRIGHT FUTURE ($160,000 2010 Easter, 3c Lonhro-Madame Dehereos).

Offered at Inglis’ world renowned Sydney Easter Yearling Sale by Shipton Lodge, the son of Lonhro showed a sleek turn of foot to finish ahead of fellow Australian bred TIANFU EAGLE ($45,000 2010 Easter, 3c Hussonet-Cooperpedy) in front of the adoring 10,000 strong crowd.

Sunday’s racecard was headlined by the Open Class Sprint (1000m) and Two-year-old Championship (1000m), which were also won by graduates of Inglis Sales.

Saluting for the same owner of Bright Future in the Open Class Sprint was FLY FLY ($3,250 Melb August, 4m Rohatyn-Ionian Lady) who led all the way to down former Australian metropolitan two-year-old winner RED PEONY (4m Exceed And Excel-Adorara) by over three lengths.

Following in the footsteps of last year’s winner VERY FAST ($130,000 2010 Easter, 3c Fastnet Rock-Silent Song), Sunday’s Two-Year-Old Championship was won by fellow Australian bred and Inglis graduate RACE EAGLE ($10,000 2011 Premier, 2f Henny Hughes-Ma Victoire) who overcame a chequered passage in the straight to power past her rivals in a very impressive display.

Snapped up from the draft of Ampulla Lodge at this year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, the daughter of crack sprinter Henny Hughes looks to have a bright future for her Beijing based connections.

“It has been a fantastic two days for Australian bred horses, who are starting to get a real following here in China”, said Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster, who was in Wuhan with Inglis Asia Representative Peter Twomey.

“Jackie Wu and the Wuhan Jockey Club continue to put on a great event in conjunction with the Wuhan Government and the China Equestrian Association, and it is very pleasing to again see Inglis’ clients being rewarded with plenty of success on China’s premier horse racing weekend” Webster added.

Rounding out the quartet of Australian bred winners at the 2011 All China Flat Racing Championship in Wuhan was VANGUARD (5h Amalfi-Shintori) who won the 1800m event on Sunday.