News

Sichuan is latest Fastnet Easter Star

19th Jun 2011

Sichuan Success confirmed himself as one of the rising stars in Hong Kong racing when leading home an Inglis 1-2 in tonight’s HK Group 3 Premier Cup at Sha Tin.

The John Size trained four-year-old was eased down on the line by champion jockey Douglas Whyte after reeling in Leading City to stop the clock in a sizzling 1:20.7 for the 1400m.

SICHUAN SUCCESS ($135,000 2008 Easter, 4g Fastnet Rock-Coureuse) was prepared for sale by Yarraman Park Stud and secured by John Foote Bloodstock. He is now the winner of six races in 10 outings and is being spoken of as a potential Hong Kong International Mile candidate later in the year.

Inglis graduates have enjoyed great success at Hong Kong’s International meeting, with the likes of Fairy King Prawn, Lucky Owners, Silent Witness, Sacred Kingdom and Inspiration.

In winning tonight, the gelding (pictured as yearling) becomes the seventh Group winner by Fastnet Rock from the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, following Wanted, Irish Lights, Rock Classic, Rothesay, Lovemelikearock and Stryker.

The Coolmore based stallion’s first 3 Group 1 winners - Wanted, Irish Lights and Rock Classic - were all Easter graduates.

Fastnet Rock’s successful Easter progeny on the racetrack has franked the faith buyers have placed in him at Easter, with the likes of Wanted ($900,000), Stryker ($600,000) and this season’s outstanding two-year-old Foxwedge ($925,000) all bringing big dollars at the sale.

LEADING CITY ($275,000 2008 Easter II, 4g Shamardal-Salty Sal) set a strong pace in front and battled on strongly for second behind Sichuan Success.

He is another top performer for Easter II, whose graduates also include Group 1 winners Faint Perfume and Response, in addition to Monton, No Evidence Needed and Neeson.

Leading City was the most expensive yearling sold at Easter II until Lot 472 (Street Sense-Desert Ibis colt) was knocked down to Tony Bott for $320,000 this year.

Easter 2 has become a great hit with Hong Kong trainers and agents, with buyers willing to back their judgement, especially on yearlings by young sires that have been given time to mature and grow, with yearlings physically primed by the early April date of the sale.

The success of Easter II was further underlined when more than 20 yearlings made $100,000 or more this year.