3 minute read
The Macau Derby is still six months away but the brilliant last to first win by Beauty Bolt in Saturday’s Class 2, has firmly stamped the mare as the horse to beat in this year’s Classic.
The four-year-old Australian import who was formerly trained by Grahame Begg in Victoria, was having her third start in the enclave for leading trainer Stanley Chin. The mare lived right up to all her wraps when she unleashed a powerful finishing burst under jockey Eric Cheung, to power home right over the top of race favorite Hostwin Epanoui (Fausto Henrique), with Gon Sai Baau (Peter Ho) in third.
The win came as no surprise given Beauty Bolt 's superb Australian form, that seen her beaten only 2.6 lengths in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes over 1600 metres at Flemington behind Moonlight Maid, then finish only 2.2 lengths behind Fascino in the Group 2 Valley Classic over 1600 metres, before running a super race in the Group 1 VRC Oaks, where she loomed as a chance to just peak over the final two hundred metres in the 2500 metre classic, only beaten 6.2 lengths behind Miami Bound.
By Redoute's Choice from the Encosta De Lago mare Sasa, Beauty Bolt is raced by Mr. Kwok Sui – Ming the founder of the famous Sasa perfume empire, and one of the Hong Kong Jockey Club's most successful racehorse owners. Over the years Mr. Kwok has raced a number of horses in Macau but none as highly rated as Beauty Bolt.
Trainer Stanley Chin saddled up three runners in Saturday's race with Royal Garden a former runner up in the 2018 Macau Derby behind Pearl Green, and King Of Glamour taking their place alongside Beauty Bolt. But it was the mare that they bet down confidently to $7.7 at the off, from an opening quote of around $200.00.
"Being a four-year-old obviously our target has always been the 4YO Series races and the ultimate goal the Derby." Chin said after the win.
"Mr. Kwok owned the dam Sasa and raced Beauty Bolt in Australia; he has always wanted to bring high class horses and race in Macau. We are very thankful to have her with us along with Beauty Supreme, who is also a very nice horse."
Chin picked up a quick race to race double when the rank outsider Treasurelakebuddy showed plenty of tenacity to fight back under Filipino rider Breinell Yamzon to win the Class 3 & 4 over 1510 metres.
Treasurelakebuddy who jumped at odds of $600.00 for the win, is a New Zealand import that raced there as Patch Man, where he won a 1400 metre Maiden at Rotorua when prepared by Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott.
The son of Snitzel was originally a A$260,000 purchase at the 2017 Inglis Easter Yearling Sales. His only run in Macau prior was just a fair effort when 7/9 beaten 10 ½ lengths when he looked in need of the run. The gelding is out of the mare Nobody Gets whose pedigree is full of USA bloodlines, so the gelding may have found his niche on the sand surface in Macau.
Sio Cheong produced a nice newcomer in River Unicorn who raced away with the 0 to 45 Maiden over 1350 metres to give Eric Cheung a double for the weekend.
River Unicorn is a nice looking three-year-old son of Savabeel (Aus), a breed that has excelled in Macau with the Group 1 Macau Gold Cup winner Bobo So Cute the best of them. He is out of the Stratum mare Refreshing. The gelding was a $90,000 purchase at the 2019 New Zealand Ready To Run Sales for owner Mr. King Ho. That was after he was passed in at A$140,000 at the 2019 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
The gelding showed good speed to lead in Saturdays win, and ran away over the final two hundred metres to score by almost five lengths over the race favorite Sheng Li Star (Peter Ho, with At Ease (Roger Yu) in third.
