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Australia, New Zealand again hold a strong hand in Hong Kong Sprint
Falvelon remains the only Australian-trained horse to have won the Hong Kong Sprint, a feat he achieved in 2000 and 2001, but the region's impact on the 1200-metre Group 1 runs much deeper than that.
The first 11 editions of the race first run in 1999 were won by horses bred in Australia, including two-time winners Silent Witness and Sacred Kingdom, while seven of the past nine have been won by horses bred in either Australia or New Zealand.
No horses trained in that part of the world are engaged in this year's edition, which will be run on Sunday, but there is a strong chance of another win to the region thanks to defending champion Wellington and current local star Lucky Sweynesse .
Below is a look at the horses engaged in this year's sprint who started life in either Australia or New Zealand.
LUCKY SWEYNESSE (Sweynesse x Madonna Mia): The raging favourite is one of the great success stories from New Zealand Bloodstock's Ready To Run Sale, where he was bought for NZ$90,000 out of the Woburn Farm draft in 2020. Remained in New Zealand after the sale but was shipped off to Hong Kong after a six-length trial win at Ellerslie early in his three-year-old season and has risen to become one of the world's top sprinters with 14 wins from 20 starts and a peak Timeform rating of 129.
WELLINGTON (All Too Hard x Mihiri): The defending champion was a $70,000 buy for Lauriston Farm at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale who was entered for NZB's Ready To Run Sale but was withdrawn. Sent to Mornington trainer John McArdle, Wellington had one synthetic track jumpout, before being acquired by Jeff Gordon on behalf of clients who have seen Wellington win 12 of 25 – including four Group 1s – and a peak Timeform figure of 124. Wellington was Mihiri's first two foals and while her next two have only been moderately-performed, fourth foal Rotorua, a four-year-old mare by Star Witness, is showing promise with Richard and Will Freedman with two wins from five starts.
SIGHT SUCCESS (Magnus x Tarp): Another success story for Price Bloodstock, who bought last year's Hong Kong Sprint runner-up for just $45,000 at the Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale. Only seen once in Australia, in a 1000m Murray Bridge trial under the name Sendintheclown, which he won by 3-1/2 lengths under a strong hold when in the care of Richard and Chantelle Jolly.
VICTOR THE WINNER (Toronado x Noetic): Sold by Collingrove Stud at the 2020 Inglis Premier Sale, where he was bought by Golden River Investments for $180,000. A brother to five-time winner Intellective and half-brother to talented Perth filly Shaddow Fear (Sioux Nation), Victor The Winner started his career with Cranbourne trainer Greg Eurell, with whom he had two trials for a second placing a dominant win before being exported to Hong Kong, where he has won six of 11 and last start ran Lucky Sweynesse to a neck in the Group 2 Jockey Club Sprint.
DUKE WAI (Per Incanto x Swan Lake): Sold for NZ$40,000 as a weanling in New Zealand, the then colt who is out of a half-sister to NZ Derby winner and multiple Hong Kong Group 1 winner Helene Vitality was offered at both the Karaka Yearling Sale and NZB Ready To Run Sale but was passed-in at each. Won a trial at Taupo before heading to Hong Kong, where he has won nine of 48. Duke Wai's brother Hammer King also started in NZ before being exported to Hong Kong, where he won four races, but is now back racing in his homeland.
LUCKY WITH YOU (Artie Schiller x Heredera): Bought for $130,000 at Inglis Premier by John Foote and started life with Robert Hickmott, who produced the gelding to win a 950m Traralgon trial before heading to Hong Kong, where he has won six of 22 starts but has not confronted opposition anywhere near the quality he will meet this Sunday.
