3 minute read
Macau sprinter Sheng Li Superstar showed that his talents are not limited to the all-weather surface at Taipa with a brilliant all the way win over 1200m on the turf.
Ridden by Peter Ho, Sheng Li Superstar exploded out of the gates to lead easily on the bridle soon after the start and despite being taken on from the 600m slipped the field at the 200m.
Race favorites Pearl Green (Oscar Chavez) and Mister Kaopu (Luis Corrales) tried gamely to run him down but Sheng Li Superstar kept up a strong gallop right to the line.
Pearl Green did well to run second over the 1200m and will no doubt be aimed at the G1 Star Of The Sand Stakes over 1600m on July 27.
Course specialist Mister Kaopu an eight times winner at the distance held on well for third.
Sheng Li Superstar had previously won three races out of his five runs on the sand in the enclave including a runaway six and a half length win over 1350m in a sizzling 1.20.9.
On a track not riding fast on the day Sheng Li Superstar's time of 1.09.0 was full of merit.
A cast off from Australia gave his owner Kwok Chun Man a quick return winning the 0 to 55 rated Maiden Handicap on Friday night's mixed turf and sand card.
Gem Glory, who formerly raced in Australia as I Am Zain, led throughout to win the 1200m contest and managed to run over half a second quicker than the Class 2 & 3 over the same distance.
Gem Glory was originally prepared by Team Hawkes in Sydney with his last run in Australia a close third at Canterbury.
He was also fourth in a $100,000 2YO race at Flemington with the winner of that race Good 'n' Fast going on to win the Listed Gibson Carmichael a fortnight later at Flemington.
It was solid form for a Macau maiden with the 3YO jumping away at $1.70 after opening at $40.00 in early betting.
Gem Glory was purchased by trainer Danny Wong is an impressive looking son of I Am Invincible out of the Al Maher mare Zyoon, a granddaughter of Rolls who was the dam of Golden Slipper winner Flying Spur.
Geoff Allendorf's Highspot is never going to reach any great heights on the racetrack but the son of Manhattan Rain gets full marks for honesty and seldom runs around without collecting a prize money cheque for his owner Robert Lau.
The 7YO won his fourth race in the enclave under Frenchman JB Hamel when he powered home from the back of the field to take out the Class 4 & 5 over 1500m on Saturday.
Whilst it was only win number four, the gelding has managed another 20 placed efforts and has picked up close to $HK1.2 million prize money along the way.
Stephane Ladjadj was another French rider in the winner's circle over the weekend with double for trainer Peter Leyshan.
Ladjadj made the best of his wide gate and a tough run in transit before bursting down the outside to win handsomely on the line in the Class 5 & 6 over 1350 metres.
The French jockey also gave a faultless front running display on Leyshan's New Zealand import Georgian Ease to win the Class 3 & 4 over 1500 metres.
