Golden Conqueror Rules The Sand
Macau’s sand superstar Golden Conqueror (Rothesay) made it eight wins from nine starts on the sand surface with a dazzling display of speed in winning Saturday’s Class 1 over 1050 metres.
Ridden by regular rider Roger Yu, Golden Conqueror after flying the gates and taking command of the race, proceeded to give his rivals a galloping exhibition after he sped away to a five length break coming to the home turn. Horses like the speedy Fasuba (Power) and Sheng Li Superstar (Harbour Watch) were simply no match for the son of Rothesay (Fastnet Rock) who coasted home an easy winner over Mountain Tiger (Coats Choice), with Crispy Biscuit (Written Tycoon) running on for third.
In what was his toughest test to date Golden Conqueror was far superior, and has now picked up close to $1.5 million HKD in prize-money for his connections, the Golden Pistols Racing Syndicate.
On a day where the feature event was the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale Stakes, it was fitting that the four-year-old should score. As a two-year-old, Golden Conqueror was an $55,000 purchase at the 2018 Inglis Ready 2 Race Sales. The gelding was an instant success in Macau bolting in at his first start on a rating of 35 points; after Saturday’s demolition job the gelding would be looking at another seven or eight points from the handicapper; that will take him close to the 100 mark and make him one of the top ten rated gallopers in the enclave.
Trainer Tommy Tse, who works in partnership with Louis Ho, has done a fine job with the four- year-old with his only defeat on the all-weather surface being a length and a half second to Rock To Road (Stryker) back in February, otherwise his record would read nine straight and unbeaten on the sand.
The neat looking brown gelding has had only one run on the turf for a very creditable fifth, beaten one and a half lengths behind Fortune Treasure (Dalakhani) in the Macau Sprint Trophy (Listed, 1200m) in August. On a very fast track the gelding led and was only caught late in a race run in a slick 1.08.4.
Fausto Henrique returned to the race track victorious to win the days feature the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale Stakes on the favorite Mr Fortune (Jet Spur) for champion trainer Tony Fung.
Mr Fortune endured a nightmare run from gate ten and was posted out seven deep going into the back; Henrique however didn’t panic and just let the horse slowly travel forward until he joined a line of three on the lead as they started the circle from the 600 metres to the turn. The four-year-old son of Jet Spur (Flying Spur) shrugged off the tough run and raced away in the straight for an easy win over The Moon’s Back (Hussonet), with Blackjack Mok (All Too Hard) in third.
Mr Fortune has been another bargain buy for Macau owners having been bought for the modest sum of $20,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions National Yearling Sales. Saturday’s win was his fourth from 11 starts with three placed efforts and over $600,000 HKD in prize-money.
Henrique was runner up in the Jockey’s Championship last season on 40 winners to Luis Corrales 57 wins. He had not ridden since August 23rd due to a careless riding suspension from last season. This at times has been his undoing and proving a costly pattern. Should he remain free of suspension this season he has all the attributes to be the champion jockey.
Peter Lao the longshot king was back in the winner’s circle Saturday with an all the way win in the Class 6 over 1350 metres on Mr Half Lamma (Battle Paint) for trainer W H (Rambo) Tse.
Mr Half Lamma was set alight to lead by Lao and rated to a nicety, before finding plenty in the straight to score his maiden win and give Lao his second win for the season, and Rambo Tse his first with only three runner’s to date from the stable for the new racing year.
A former Champion Macau apprentice who was in the top bracket of riders in the enclave for many years, Lao made a comeback to race riding last December after three years out of the saddle and found it tough going. He only managed to ride six winners late last season, five of them at massive odds, but it at least brought him to the attention of trainers once more and better rides appear to be coming his way.
A win on the well supported City Gold (Oustrip) for trainer Stanley Chin on the second day of the new season got him underway, and now with the win on Mr Half Lamma things should be on the up for the veteran rider, who is looking as good as ever and riding with his old confidence once more.