3 minute read
Sheng Li Superstar has elevated himself to the level of Macau’s second highest rated horse with a determined win in Friday night’s Class 1 & 2 over 1510 metres on the sand.
Prepared nowadays by Stanley Chin and ridden by Luis Corrales, Sheng Li Superstar enjoyed a nice run in third spot in the race before peeling out around the bend for home to go out after the leader Fasuba. Sheng Li Superstar burst to the front at the two hundred chased by the hot favorite Sacred Capital and Pearl Green, and then powered away to win by almost two lengths.
The hard finishing bolter Simply Impeccable (Peter Lao) finished second with Pearl Green (Dayversom Barros) close up in third. Favorite Sacred Capital raced a bit one paced in the straight under Peter Ho and wound up in fourth spot beaten two and three quarters of a length.
Fridays victory was win number eight in Macau with a further five placings; the five year old has only been out of a top three spot on four occasions in the enclave, with now close to $2.5 Million HKD in earnings.
Sheng Li Superstar surprised many with his head victory over Pearl Green in the Group 2 Sprint Trophy over 1500 metres on the turf when racing returned after the Coronavirus break in March. Most attributed that to the soft lead the gelding got on the day the led to his victory; however with a slick speed in Friday's race coming from Fasuba and Mujaan, Corrales simply bided his time in third spot and had plenty left for the run home.
After Fridays nights victory the handicapper gave the gelding another four points that took him to a mark of 123; just three points behind Macau's highest rated horse Sacred Capital who is on 126.
Sheng Li Superstar has been a great buy for owner Mr. Frank Wong who purchased him on the advice of his former trainer Tony Fung. The gelding originally raced in Victoria as Westerly Wind where he won a maiden race at Geelong on the all weather track by six lengths when prepared by Henry Dwyer.
Formerly raced by Qatar Bloodstock in Victoria, the bay was a product of the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where he was purchased of A$145,000 by David Redvers Bloodstock.
Tuhao Choice picked up a well deserved victory on Friday night but not before having a great tussle with Still So Cute to prevail by one length on the wire in the Class 3 & 4 over 1600 metres.
A son of Jakkalberry (Ire) Tuhao Choice had been close in two recent starts but on each occasion had been the maker of his own demise. Two runs back the three year old ran a close second to Chromium Alloy at 1500 (turf) however was relegated back to third spot for his runaround racing manners after an objection by the third horse Fortune Paradise.
At his most recent start he again spoiled his chances by racing very greenly for a close second to Fortune Paradise again over the 1500 metre trip. On Friday the gelding was on his best behavior and the win gave Luis Corrales the first leg of a double for the night, and also trainer Sio Cheong who scored later in the evening with Kelvin's Choice.
Kelvin's Choice is another that recorded a well deserved win on Friday night under apprentice Eric Cheung in the Class 4 & 5 over 1050 metres.
It took 21 goes before the four year old son of Snitzel (Aus) could salute, however the gelding has been plagued by bad draws and bad luck in many of his runs.
The gelding commenced his racing career in New South Wales under the moniker of Horn when prepared by Bjorn Baker. A Wellington maiden win over 1100 metres and a Nowra BM58 over 1400 metres were his claims to fame there before being sold onto Macau.
Victor Chan Chun Fai was another trainer that picked up a double for the night with Pride Sprint and Bring Me Power.
Pride Sprint a New Zealand bred four year old was the first of Chan's winners when he done a plenty of work from his gate (11) under Japanese rider Massa Tanaka to win the Class 5 & 6 over 1350 metres.
As a two year old Pride Sprint looked destined for better things; the gelding won a trial at Waikato in nice fashion defeating an Exceed and Excel colt that was subsequently name Aquila, that has now won twice in Hong Kong in class 4 and class 3 and is currently rated at 70.
Things didn't go as smoothly for Pride Sprint who descended to a lowly rating of 17 before Fridays win. That said the manner of his win suggests he might have turned a corner running faster time (1.23.3) then his stablemate Bring Me Power who won the last the Class 4 in 1.23.5.
Bring Me Power also shrugged off a tough run from his outside gate (11) to loop the field and run away with the Class 4 under Japanese rider Shogo Nakano.
Bring Me Power bolted away to win by three lengths over Garlic And Spicy (Roger Yu), with Ashkari (Luis Corrales) in third.
Formerly racing in Australia as Chauvinist, the gelding was a A$140,000 purchase by Champion Thoroughbreds at the 2017 NZB Select Yearling Sale. Under the care of John O'Shea he won a 1500 metre maiden at Hawkesbury from six runs in New South Wales.
The son of Denman (Aus) is another high priced galloper to end up in Macau no doubt at a bargain price, and the four year old will pay his way here evidenced by his strong win on Friday night.
