Hong Kong reject stars in Macau
Allen Tam’s Arriba Arriba (Denman) continued on his upward curve with a dominant win in Friday nights’ Class 3 over 1050 metres (sand), to make it five wins from only six starts in Macau.
Ridden for the first time by Eric Cheung, the good-looking son of Denman bounded away from his opposition to score untouched by three lengths, from his stablemate Harvest Year (Power), with Grexit (All American) a half-length away in third.
Raced by longtime Tam stable supporter Mr. Rick Ma, Arriba Arriba commenced his racing career in Hong Kong under the care of Chris So. At his first race start at Sha Tin in February 2019, the gelding showed good speed over the straight 1000 metre course, before weakening late to finish a fading tenth beaten eight lengths. The bay was found to have bled and was immediately retired and sent to New Zealand.
After a long spell Arriba Arriba arrived in Macau last August; it was evident in his first trial in November that he was not short on talent. With top jockey Luis Corrales in the saddle, the gelding easily won the trial beating good Class 2 and 3 horses in the process. That made him the best of good things when he stepped out in a Maiden over 1200 metres on the turf, and he made short work of his opposition.
His only defeat has been an inexplicable fifth, beaten four and a quarter lengths, behind Roaring Fans over 1200 metres in January.
After a freshen up, Tam switched Arriba Arriba to the all-weather track where he remains unbeaten in his three runs on the surface. The five-year-old has now raked in over $700 HKD in prize money in his six starts in Macau.
Arriba Arriba has been joined in recent months by two other Hong Kong cast-offs in Digital Victory (Bernadini) and City Lucky Star (Redoute’s Choice). Digital Victory, prepared by Wayne Smith, is a nice horse that had recurring hoof problems in Hong Kong before ending up in the enclave. The son of Bernadini (USA) has won two races and placed second on two occasions, from only four starts here, all on the sand. City Lucky Star is with the Tony Fung yard and has won his only two starts easily, also on the all-weather.
Nick Moore has a nice young horse in the making with his three-year-old gelding in Danish Star (Akeed Mofeed), who broke his maiden status in winning the Class 4 & 5 over 1050 metres on the sand under Fausto Henrique.
Danish Star is a son of the 2013 Hong Kong Derby winner Akeed Mofeed. The three-year-old was originally on the market for Hong Kong after winning a barrier trial at Rosehill, when prepared by Gary Moore, before being purchased privately by his Macau connections.
The gelding showed promise from day one in Macau, winning his first trial by six lengths and then was narrowly defeated on the turf at his debut by Imperial Eagle (I Am Invincible), on a soft track at 1200 metres.
A luckless sixth followed, beaten three and a half lengths behind the smart Snow Storm (Mossman), before Moore decided to switch the bay to the all-weather track, with a narrow defeat at his first run over 1050 metres before Friday night’s win.
“He did a good job; it was a tough win carrying 131 pounds as a three-year-old against older horses. He probably should have not been out of a place in all his starts but for the interference at his second run.” Moore said.
“I’ll put him away for a bit now and look for a race at the end of June. He has shown he can handle both turf and sand, that’s encouraging. I’ll just take a bit of time and let the horse tell me when he is ready to step up in trip; I think he will handle 1500 metres no problem when he matures.”
Moore is eagerly looking forward to seeing his latest stable addition Thanks Forever (Duporth) at the races. Thanks Forever, a former winner of the Sha Tin Vase (Gr 3, 1200m) in Hong Kong defeating Hot King Prawn, was retired due to a bleeding attack. The decision was made to send the son of Duporth to Moore on the advice of his uncle, John Moore, who prepared the galloper in his five Hong Kong victories.
“He has arrived in terrific shape; he looks fabulous. He could not come directly to Macau from Hong Kong; he had to go via New Zealand. They took care of him at the Sports and Equestrian Centre at Abderry. It’s a great set up and the lady there Cheski did a great job with him. I’m really looking forward to getting him up and running. There is a nice Class 1 race for him in the new season in September, so that gives me four months to prepare him.”
Fausto Henrique and Eric Cheung both kicked home doubles for the night. Henrique as well as winning the first on Danish Star, took out the last the Class 5 & 6 over 1510 metres on the Wayne Smith prepared Rayson Warrior (Redwood), who broke his maiden status after 10 attempts.
Rayson Warrior came with a late surge to beat Superlative Choice (Hidden Dragon), with Pride Sprint (Makfi) close up in third.
Eric Cheung rode a double with both King Of Glamour (Eurozone) and Arriba Arriba to take him to 37 winners and just three off premiership leader Luis Corrales.
King Of Glamour was the first of Eric Cheung’s wins when he scored his eighth career win in the enclave with a hard-fought victory over Tremendous Wins (Lord Turffontein), in the Class 2 over 1510 metres.
The win by King Of Glamour gave trainer Stanley Chin his 35th winner for the season and has him nine winners ahead of Tony Fung in the trainers’ standings, with Sio Cheong in third spot on 23 victories.