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Karis scores kiwi-bred double; Righteous reward; Oaks winner bound for spelling paddock; Australasian Oaks earmarked for Fascino; Open Minded continues perfect run
Karis scores kiwi-bred double
Jockey Karis Teetan was in hot form at Sha Tin on Wednesday winning three on the card, two aboard New Zealand-bred gallopers.
Goldie Flanker flashed home to seal Teetan's second win of the evening in section one of the Class 4 Kiu Tsui Handicap (1200m).
The son of Rip Van Winkle had to work hard to reel in the Moreira-ridden Excel Delight but the 9/1 shot was up to the task and edged the 1.8 favourite by a short-head.
"He's an old horse and he knows the track, he's been around a while and he dug down hard to win today," Teetan said.
"I've won on him before and he likes that fast pace where he gets to the outside and runs them down, but I thought I maybe wasn't going to catch the second horse.
"I got closed up before the run into the straight but he was in good shape, and for him to recover and kick again was impressive."
It was a night for late-closers and Mongolian King maintained that trend to the last with a powerful late charge in the final race.
Derek Leung aboard Kings Shield looked to have the Class 2 Cheung Sha Handicap (1650m) in the palm of his hand as he led the 14 runners into the straight and kicked a couple of lengths clear. But Karis Teetan was already starting to roll on Mongolian King.
The Me Tsui-trained seven-year-old son of Sufficient reduced the deficit through a powerful stretch run that pegged the weakening leader inside the final 50m. The winning margin was a length and a quarter in a time of 1m 37.91s.
"I saw the second horse kick in the straight, but I could feel this horse was unwinding and I knew he was going to be strong at the end," Teetan said.
"The pace was on so everything was set-up for him to have a good run. He was very comfortable on the inside and as soon as we hit the 600m point he started travelling nicely into it and he won well."
Mongolian King has been in great form this campaign finishing runner-up in four of his last five starts.
Righteous reward
Righteous Mate had only one horse behind him with 300m to race in the Class 4 Pui O Handicap at Sha Tin on Wednesday but rolled past the rest to land a 92/1 shock under Brazilian hoop Vagner Borges.
"He's been running quite well and his last run wasn't bad either, it's just he was drawn a little bit wide last week and didn't get the clear run. He pulled up well so I decided to run him back," trainer Tony Millard said of the New Zealand-bred son of Savabeel.
"Today they went very fast up front and then died, and it suited him. He's just a Class 4 horse but he's done a nice job. He came to me a year ago as a stable transfer and he's won three races since."
Righteous Mate was sold as a weanling through Curraghmore's 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Bloodstock Sale.
Oaks winner bound for spelling paddock
New Zealand-bred filly Miami Bound won't get her chance to add another Oaks victory to her resume, having been sent for a spell by trainer Danny O'Brien.
The Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m) winner failed to flatter this preparation, finishing eighth first-up in the Gr.2 Autumn Classic (1800m) before her last start fourth-placing in the Gr.2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m).
O'Brien has elected to send the daughter of Reliable Man for a spell instead of travelling north to Sydney to tackle the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m).
"Her two runs this autumn have been just average for her and she just doesn't seem to be handling the firm ground," O'Brien said.
"She'll have a nice long spell and we'll concentrate on a spring campaign for her."
O'Brien purchased Miami Bound out of Westbury Stud's 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $120,000.
Australasian Oaks earmarked for Fascino
The Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) has been earmarked as New Zealand-bred galloper Fascino's next major target.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained filly finished third in the Gr.2 Kewney Stakes (1400m) at Flemington two starts back before finishing eighth in last Saturday's Gr.1 Vinery Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill.
The daughter of Charm Spirit is set to back-up in the Gr.3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday, however, her connections have yet to make a final call.
"It was a walk, trot, and canter, with a sprint home the other day in the Vinery," Maher said.
"She was back and it didn't take a lot out of her. That's why we had a look at this race, but we will just see how she is before we make up our mind.
"The Schweppes Oaks over 2000m in Adelaide is the target for her. I am not 100 percent sure whether I am going to line her up on Saturday yet."
Fascino was bought out of Windsor Park Stud's 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft by Maher in partnership with Waterford Bloodstock for $400,000.
Open Minded continues perfect run
Former New Zealand galloper Open Minded continued his picket fence formline at Sandown on Wednesday when winning over 1200m.
It was the third win from as many starts for the Anthony Freedman-trained gelding and Freedman's Racing Manager Brad Taylor believes there is plenty left in-store for the son of Jimmy Choux.
"That was an outstanding ride by Mark (Zahra, jockey), our only instruction was to find cover to teach the horse to settle, as he has led in both his race day starts to date," Taylor said.
"He settled beautifully when Mark found his spot and the way he put them away indicates he is clearly better than this level.
"He is a horse that didn't hold a lot of condition in his first preparation but really improved with the break and you saw that in the yard before the race."
The three-year-old gelding was a private purchase out of New Zealand by Dream Thoroughbred's Dave Azzopardi. The gelding was identified by bloodstock agent Lenny Russo of Bluegrass Bloodstock after he won a Te Rapa trial last winter for former trainer Roger Lang.
"Since the day he arrived he has always shown nice ability but this was a big step up from Class 1 to Benchmark 70 level in town against the older horses today," Taylor said.
"We knew he had improved and based on that effort there is no reason why you couldn't take him to a Saturday race.
"There are options for a galloper like him both here in Victoria where the prizemoney is still very good or alternatively we could look at the carnival in Adelaide at a couple of black type three-year-old events."
