Wunderbar gives Size push-up
HONG KONG - Famed as the only horse to have beaten champion sprinter Ka Ying Rising, Wunderbar catapulted John Size closer to a record-extending 13th Hong Kong trainers' championship with a devastating return to form at Sha Tin on June 14.
Twice victorious over Ka Ying Rising in the pair's three-year-old season, Wunderbar had bone fragments removed from a knee in January, 2024 - a day after his second triumph over the horse now acclaimed as the world's highest-rated sprinter - and has endured a rollercoaster since.
As Ka Ying Rising advanced to a perfect eight-win 2024-25 season while claiming four Group 1s, Wunderbar has taken a less celebrated path. He notched a pair of early season wins before finishing out of the placings at his past three runs.
Ridden conservatively by Hugh Bowman in the HK$2.84 million (S$463,000) Class 2 HKU Business School And Faculty Of Engineering Handicap (1,200m), the chestnut showed his quality after settling midfield in the 11-horse field behind Bottomuptogether.
He then swept through a gap in the straight to down stablemate Raging Blizzard and Harmony N Blessed in 1min 8.12sec.
The gelding's seventh victory in 12 starts propelled Size to 63 wins for the season, nine clear of David Hayes (54) with only eight meetings left, and presented more evidence of the master horseman's elite craftmanship.
"He's been over-racing a little bit and I gave him a break and that didn't work, so I had to do something else. Then he had a couple of trials and was fine," said Size.
"He didn't race for four months last time fresh and this time he was perfect - right tempo and everything went well for him."
Bowman was also impressed with Wunderbar's performance, saying: "He was great. He had a bit in his favour. He had a track bias - the fence was like gold - he had barrier one, he's obviously got abundant natural pace and he got the conditions to suit today.
"He was able to settle mid-race and provide the finish which he'd been lacking. He won with authority. Full credit to him."
Ellis Wong's allowance will be reduced from 7lb (3.2kg) to 5lb after the apprentice's double.
Wong, 24, scored with Pierre Ng's first starter Aerovolanic in the Class 4 HKU Heritage Handicap (1,200m) before a perfect ride on the Caspar Fownes-trained Joy Of Sprint in the Class 3 HKU Foundation Handicap (1,800m).
With 10 wins from the start of May, Wong took his Hong Kong career total past 45 victories, triggering a drop in his allowance.
"It's good for Ellis. He becomes a five-pound claimer next week, we wish him all the best," said Fownes.
"He's riding really well. Hopefully my trainer friends will give him some more support."
The battle for the Tony Cruz Award for leading homegrown jockey narrowed after Matthew Chadwick posted his 32nd win of the season. He trails Matthew Poon (36 wins), after scoring aboard Chris So's Hinokami Kagura in the Class 4 HKU Faculties Of Dentistry And Social Sciences Handicap (1,200m, dirt).
The Jamie Richards-trained The All Out remains unbeaten after a second Griffin 1,000m win in the opener.
Ridden by Zac Purton, the Brutal two-year-old clocked a sizzling 55.84sec with a strong trailing breeze after starting from barrier 2.
"He was good because it's very hard to win from that side of the track," said Purton.
"He did a really good job to be working the whole way to some extent and then hold them off."
Brutal completed a double when the David Eustace-trained Truly Fluke charged late to clinch the second section of the Class 4 University Hall Handicap (1,400m) under Andrea Atzeni.
"He's a beautiful horse and we took a punt today to go forward from a wide gate (barrier 13)," said Eustace.
"I just felt if we went back, he'd probably run well without being a chance of winning.
"He got a beautiful ride and he's a nice horse for next season. I'd like to think he'll work his way through the grades a little bit.
"Obviously, it's hard to know how far they get, but he'll stay a mile no problem and probably doesn't need to go further than that at this stage."
Tearaway leader Purton bookended the meeting with an easy win on Manfred Man's Patch Of Stars in the Class 4 Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships Handicap (1,400m).
Atzeni also won two races with a brilliant ride on Mojave Desert, who claimed a PP (Private Purchase) Bonus of HK$1.5 million by winning the Class 3 HKU Jockey Club Student Villages Handicap (1,200m, dirt) for Mark Newnham.
Also scoring a double was trainer Tony Cruz with Smart Beauty and Kingly Demeanor. Smart Beauty notched his fifth win by clinching the Class 5 race (1,600m) under Angus Chung, before Kingly Demeanor led all the way under Keith Yeung to win the Class 4 (1,800m).
Reigning champion trainer Francis Lui was not left out of the scoresheet, with Harold Win taking the Class 4 (1,400m) under Jerry Chau.
HKJC
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