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| Staff Writer |
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On November 19th, Lucky Sweynesse made a triumphant return to his successful streak at Sha Tin Racecourse. He shared the spotlight with Straight Arron and Beauty Eternal, who also secured victories on the same day. These wins further solidified the local contingent's position for the upcoming Longines Hong Kong International Races in December.
On December 10, some of Hong Kong's most anticipated horse races will feature Golden Sixty and Romantic Warrior. These two horses, along with Lucky Sweynesse, are expected to defend local honors against international competitors. Other horses that made the cut for the big-day program will also participate after passing the preliminary rounds.
Lucky Sweynesse has given trainer Manfred Man and jockey Zac Purton a reason to breathe a sigh of relief. The horse managed to overcome the massive weight burdens imposed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club handicapper this season, which had caused him to finish second in his previous two outings while conceding as much as 20 pounds. In the Gr.2 Jockey Club Sprint, Lucky Sweynesse was finally on closer to even terms weight-wise but still had to use every inch of the stretch to catch the leader, Victor the Winner, and win by a nose. Wellington finished in third place, just three-quarters of a length behind.
"He got the job done," Purton said. "He's sort of getting back to his best. He's not quite there yet but he took another step in the right direction today and he's going to need to be better next time."
In June, Wellington finished 10th out of 16 in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes and has only just made his first start since then.
The Gr.2 Jockey Club Cup, a prep race for the Cup or Vase in December, was fiercely contested at 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles). Straight Arron took the lead in the final 100 meters and won by three-quarters of a length over Sword Point, the favorite, with Money Catcher in third place. Vincent Ho rode the winning horse, and Zac Purton missed out on a stakes triple with Sword Point.
Caspar Fownes, the trainer, stated that Straight Arron has made good progress and is on course to compete against all challengers in the Gr.1 Longines Hong Kong Cup.
"This horse is a quality animal and he's just getting to where he should be now. That was a good result for us and it gives us a chance to get into the big race, which is always tough against the top stayers in the world," Fownes said.
"But he's earned his spot there and if they can run in the first four or five on International day, it's a job done, really."
According to Fownes, Senor Toba encountered some traffic issues and finished fifth, falling short by 2 1/2 lengths. However, Fownes plans to enter him in the Gr.1 Longines Hong Kong Vase in the future.
The Gr.2 Jockey Club Mile was comprised of a small field of just five participants. The race came down to a fierce showdown between two horses donning the pink and black silks of the Kwok family. Beauty Eternal, ridden by Purton, managed to secure the lead in the home stretch and narrowly defeated Beauty Joy by a short head. The remaining horses were significantly behind, with the favorite, California Spangle, finishing in fourth place.
"It's probably the first time he's had to dig deep when something has come at him like that and find and he'll take some confidence out of it," Purton said.
In just three weeks, he will face a formidable challenge when he takes on the international raiders in the Gr.1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, as well as the three-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year, Golden Sixty. He'll need every ounce of his skills and more to come out on top.
"We'll see how he pulls up after this race and that will give me a guide on what to do between now and Dec. 10," said winning trainer John Size. "He went to the race in good condition and should come out of it nicely.
"It's always nice for the owners who contribute so much to get some nice results."