Star New Zealand-bred sprinter Lucky Sweynesse collected his second Group One crown in as many starts at Sha Tin on Sunday as he reeled in a brave California Spangle to lift the HK$12 million Gr.1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m).
Ridden by fly-in rider James McDonald for trainer Manfred Man, Lucky Sweynesse broke cleanly against four rivals to settle second in the running behind California Spangle.
Lucky Sweynesse stalked California Spangle throughout the contest before taking over with 200m left to run, prevailing by one and a quarter lengths in 1m 21.12s with last year’s winner Wellington filling third position.
“He’s a pretty straightforward sort of horse. He’s got a great mind to him. He was quick into momentum and we had a perfect trailing position behind California Spangle and he got a lovely tag into the race from the 500 (metre mark) onwards and it felt like a drag race home,” McDonald said.
The four-year-old landed the first leg of Hong Kong’s Speed Series – the Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) – in February at his most recent outing before Sunday’s win. With victories in the first two legs, connections will land a HK$5 million bonus if successful in April’s Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) – the third and final leg of the Speed Series.
“What makes him so talented is that he’s not only a very fast horse but he can sustain the speed over seven furlongs, which not many sprinters can do, so he’s got a great attribute of conserving energy and building into a race like a pretty good horse,” McDonald said.
Lucky Sweynesse is a now a 10-time winner from 14 starts in Hong Kong. His earnings sit at a mouthwatering HK$29.63 million (NZ$6 million) after securing his third win over 1400m.
“He’s just four years old, he still can improve. I just told the jockey, sit off the pace and in the last 200 (metres), I think we can catch him up,” Man said.
Looking to future targets with Lucky Sweynesse, Man indicated the Chairman’s Sprint Prize as the immediate goal next month at Sha Tin on FWD Champions Day (30 April).
“At this moment, we’re looking for another 1200m Group One race. After that race, we’re thinking about the distance for him. We will be (looking to take him overseas). Maybe June, Japan race,” Man said.
The Gr.1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) takes place on 4 June at Tokyo in Japan. It has been won by Fairy King Prawn (2000) and Bullish Luck (2006) for Hong Kong.
Bred by Luigi Muollo, along with Allan Sharrock and Paul Dombroski, Lucky Sweynesse is the pin-up galloper for Novara Park Stud stallion Sweynesse.
A Group One performed son of Lonhro, Sweynesse is also the sire of Group winners Only Words, Dragon Queen and Bonita Aurelia, while he is making his mark in Hong Kong with five winners from nine runners, including Solid Impact, who was Group Three placed in New Zealand prior to export.
Lucky Sweynesse is out of the Listed Wanganui Cup (2040m) winner Madonna Mia, a versatile mare that won nine races and has now gone on with the job as a broodmare.
Her first mating with Sweynesse resulted in the highly talented multiple stakes performer Signora Nera, who was placed in the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m).
Lucky Sweynesse was sold at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale out of Woburn Farm’s 2020 draft for $90,000 to Joe Barnes’ J & I Bloodstock.
The gelding was a six length trial winner at Ellerlsie out of Shelley Hale’s Cambridge stable before transferring to Hong Kong.