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Mighty Giant impresses at Sha Tin; Karaka gradutes land notable wins for connections

Mighty Giant impresses at Sha Tin

Former New Zealand galloper Mighty Giant  took another step up the ladder with an impressive performance in the Class 3 Dorset Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. 

The Ricky Yiu-trained gelding had his work cut out in the early stages under jockey Zac Purton but had enough quality to settle third as Smoothies and Thunder Stomp set a strong tempo.

The four-year-old needed help to find his balance at the top of the straight but once he did he cranked through his gears and was a cosy two and a quarter lengths to the good at the wire.

"He looked impressive in the end but he was hard work in the run," Purton said. "They were too quick for him early, with the big weight he found it too hard to gather momentum at the start – the pace was on pretty much the whole way and the leader kicked for home early. 

"Having worked early, off the bit mid-race and chasing early, it was a good tough effort to pick up and still get the job done. The best part of his race was the last 100m, it was really the only time he got going." 

Yiu knows the Power gelding will be better over a mile but is likely to stick to 1400m for now. 

"He'll be up in Class 2 and it's tempting to go to the mile but the move up in class and the step up in distance is a lot of work to do at once. Maybe we'll stay at 1400m for one more race," he said. 

Mighty Giant was initially prepared in New Zealand by breeder-owner Ross Beckett for whom he won two of his four trials before his sale to Hong Kong.

Karaka gradutes land notable wins for connections

New Zealand Bloodstock graduate Team Power secured his maiden win in Hong Kong on Sunday when victorious in the Class 4 Norfolk Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin.

The four-year-old was purchased out of Lyndhurst Stud's 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale draft by Bruce and Maureen Harvey's Ascot Farm for $100,000.

Meanwhile, another Karaka sales graduate in Fantasy provided leading rider Joao Moreira with the third of a winning treble on the day when he took out a Class 3 1200m contest.  

Purchased by trainer Danny Shum for $240,000 from Curraghmore's 2017 Ready To Run Sale draft, the $1.60 favourite powered over the top of the front-running Team Spirit to score by half a length. 

"He's a young horse and he's going forward every time he goes out there to race," Moreira said.

"Danny said to me before the race that he'd put on better condition this time and he was 100 percent right. It's a great training effort."