News

Fastnet Flyer in Hong Kong

24th May 2010

*Breednet - Tara Madgwick - Sunday, 23 May 2010

Fastnet Rock was on fire at the weekend with a stakes double at Doomben in Brisbane thanks to class three year-olds Stryker and Rothesay, while in Hong Kong on Sunday at Sha Tin another potential star stepped up to the plate in scintillating debut winner Sichuan Success.

Drawn the outside gate in a field of 14 for the 1200 metre Class Four event, the John Size trained Sichuan Success was driven forward and crossed easily sit just outside the leader in second place.

He relaxed beautifully after doing that early work and when asked to ping again in the straight was able to do so with a minimum of fuss and when Douglas Whyte shook the rains at him he bounded clear to win by more than three lengths in a ridiculously easy victory.

"Actually, I think he might have been better drawn out there," said John Size. "He was a bit new to it all and didn't begin the best, but with no horse on his outside, he was able to get travelling and over outside the leader more like a track gallop than a race."

Douglas Whyte has been involved with Sichuan Success throughout his early education and was delighted with his performance.

"I like this horse. He's got the action, the attitude and the conformation and he's a horse with a good future,” said Whyte.

“He's a huge horse to sit on but still very light on his feet. I rode him like the best horse in the race from that draw and that's what he was."

Purchased for a modest $135,000 from the Yarraman Park draft at the 2008 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by John Foote Bloodstock, Sichuan Success ( pictured as a yearling) is the ninth foal of terrific producer Coureuse.

He is a half-brother to stakes-placed Tom Coureuse and Pirouettes as well as good HK galloper Yellow Diamond, his dam a daughter of Magic Millions winner Dancer’s Joy.