Lucky Sweynesse lights up Sha Tin with rousing Hong Kong Sprint success
Atonement was the word Zac Purton used in a press conference earlier this week to describe the goal for Lucky Sweynesse (Sweynesse) in this year’s Hong Kong Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m), and the pair proved all class to land the 1200-metre dash and banish any bad memories from last year’s renewal.
Having been all the rage for the 2022 running of the sprint, Lucky Sweynesse got no run inside the closing stages and could only manage sixth of the 14 runners, finishing hard on the bridle passing the winning post.
This year however, after jumping well from barrier five, Purton tracked the leaders in fourth position and seemed to have plenty of horse left under the bonnet turning for home.
The Australian native, a four-time champion jockey in Hong Kong, surely had flashbacks of last year when denied a clear run between horses moving into the final two furlongs, however, Purton switched his mount to the outside and his partner gave willingly, staying on strongly to eventually run out a cosy three-quarter length winner over Lucky With You (Artie Schiller).
“He deserved it, he’s been our best sprinter for the last year and was able to atone for 2022,” Purton said of the Manfred Man-trained five-year-old.
“He had a nice run in the race and when I went for the run inside James [McDonald, Victor The Winner] he just couldn’t pick up immediately. So I pulled him out to get a run and he pulled himself up at the finish.
“I got the feeling [he was coming back to his best] at track work in the mornings. His action was getting a bit better and he was pulling up well from his gallops.
“His all–round demeanour was improving and I could just tell he was blossoming at the right time.”
Lucky Sweynesse claimed his first Group 1 success in February in the Centenary Sprint Cup (Gr 1, 1200m) as part of a six-race winning streak, landing the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (Gr 1, 1200m) and Chairman’s Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m). Yesterday’s victory takes his career record to 15 wins and a further five placings from 21 career outings.
“I think in this race the draw was good to us,” Man said. “The jockey could keep on the inside fence and save ground. The last 200 [metres] I nearly had a heart attack!
“We’ll take a little bit of time, it’s a bit early to say where we will go next. But there is the triple crown and there’s two more races of that left yet. He keeps me excited anyway.”
A $90,000 buy for J & I Bloodstock from the Woburn Farm draft at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, Lucky Sweynesse is out of the Listed winner Madonna Mia (Red Clubs), whose first foal, Signora Nera (Sweynesse), was Group 1 placed.
Lucky Sweynesse (5 g ex Madonna Mia by Red Clubs) is one of five stakes winners for Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) runner-up Sweynesse (Lonhro), who stands at Novara Park for a fee of NZ$10,000 (plus GST).