News

Three Straight for Amber Sky

26th Jun 2012

Breednet - Tara Madgwick - Monday, 25 June 2012

Exceed and Excel is the leading sire in Australia this season by individual two year-old winners with 15 to his credit, but one of his youngsters that slipped through the net and went to Hong Kong could well be one of the best of them.

The Ricky Yiu trained two year-old gelding Amber Sky posted his third win in as many starts when he cruised clear to win the Class Three event over 1000 metres at Sha Tin on Sunday breaking 56 seconds for the trip.

Amber Sky was ridden by Mark du Plessis, who was full of praise for the budding speedster.

"I hate saying this about horses - but that is the best two-year-old I have ever ridden," he told South China Morning Post.

Du Plessis drove Amber Sky (pictured) straight across to the outside rail from gate four, crossing the field easily before settling into his stride and leading throughout.

"I thought if I could use his early speed and get to the fence, it will give him the confidence because that's where he was in his griffin races," Du Plessis said. "I only had to give him one slip and he was lightning, he was straight on to the bridle, and he was going that fast very, very easily.”

Amber Sky was an $80,000 purchase for his trainer from the Rubiton Bloodstock draft at the 2011 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and is the second foal and first winner for former slick sprinter Truly Wicked, a Group II winning daughter of Rubiton.

The current yearling from Truly Wicked, a filly by Bernardini (USA) made just $45,000 at the 2012 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and the mare has a Lonhro weanling colt to follow and is due to foal to the same sire this spring.

Race Replay of Sunday's Class 3 event from Shat Tin that was dominated by Amber Sky can be viewed HERE