By Heather Anderson
The Fantastic Five Syndicate's House of Fortune (SAf), one of the lesser fancied entrants in the 1800-metre G3 Sa Sa Ladies' Purse H. at 28-1, parlayed an ideal stalking trip into a three-quarter length victory over the fast finishing Helene Paragon (Fr), Sunday at Sha Tin. Favored Eastern Express (Ire) was only a short head behind.
Basic Trilogy (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) showed the way through a speedy opening quarter in :21.56, as House of Fortune tracked the leader in third one off the fence. Inching into contention turning into the home straight, the dark bay was set to the drive by Karis Teetan at the 400-metre mark and edged into the clear with 200 metres remaining. Meanwhile, Helene Paragon was streaking up the rail, as Basic Trilogy folded, and despite making up quite a bit of ground, he missed by three-parts of a length at the wire, with Eastern Express (Ire) coming up the center of the course to take third, a short head behind.
“Today we had a beautiful position, they were going nice and easy and he had his head down, travelling easily,” said Teetan. “He ran a good race last time, I new this time it was a slightly weaker race and going out there Tony said 'just be confident on him and he's going to give you a kick.' He's got a lot of quality, he showed that in South Africa, and when he came here he just needed that time to find his form, and now he has found it, he's showing he can perform.”
Added trainer Tony Millard, “We can look at the [Longines Hong Kong] Internationals [Races] in December, and, if the owner's happy to go, we'd have to look at that route. But if [2015 Japanese Horse of the Year and recent G1 Tenno Sho hero] Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) shows up, well that might be tough. We tried him in the Group 1 at the end of last season, the QEII Cup, but he wasn't at his best that day, so we'll see.”
The Sa Sa Ladies' Purse H. was the first group score for the South African-bred, who landed back-to-back Class 1 victories at Happy Valley near the end of last season over 1650 metres Feb. 24 and going 1800 metres Mar. 23. He signed off the 2015/2016 season with an 11th-place effort behind Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) in the G1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup S. Apr. 24. Resuming with a ninth dropped back down in another Class 1 at Sha Tin Sept. 11, House of Fortune improved to sixth going 1400 metres in the G3 Celebration H. Oct. 1.
Pedigree Notes…
Out of the triple South African Group 3 heroine Sweet Virginia (SAf) (Casey Tibbs {Ire}), House of Fortune is from the same family as South African MG1SW Mill Hill (SAf) (Royal Prerogative {GB}), as well as South African champion older mare Dancewiththedevil (SAf) (Modus Vivendi {GB}). His dam has G3 Tekkie Town Winter Guineas third-place finisher Vilakazi (SAf) (Visionaire), winning 3-year-old filly Supreme Vision (SAf) (Visionaire) and unraced 2-year-old colt Do It Again (SAf) (Twice over ({GB}). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
SA SA LADIES' PURSE H.-G3, HK$3,000,000 (US$386,799/£308,866/€347,470), SHT, 11-6, 3yo/up, 1800mT, 1:47.17, gd/fm.
1–@HOUSE OF FORTUNE (SAF), 120, g, 6, by Stronghold (GB)
1st Dam: Sweet Virginia (SAf) (MGSW-SAf), by Casey Tibbs (Ire)
2nd Dam: Millie Bovana (SAf), by Royal Prerogative (GB)
3rd Dam: Modern Millie (SAf), by Oligarchy
(R150,000 Ylg '12 CAPJAN). O-Fantastic Five Syndicate;
B-Northfields Stud Pty. Ltd.; T-A. T. Millard; J-K. Teetan.
HK$1,710,000. Lifetime Record: SW-SAf, 25-8-4-2, $945,464.
*1/2 to Vilakazi (SAf) (Visionaire), GSP-SAf. Werk Nick Rating:
B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Helene Paragon (Fr), 133, c, 4, Polan (Fr)–High Zaff (GB), by
High Chaparral (Ire). O-Sir Po-shing & Lady Woo, Wilson Woo
Ka Wah, Jackson Woo Ka Biu and Dawson Woo Ka Chung;
B-Angel Jordan Torres (Fr); T-J. Moore. HK$660,000.
3–Eastern Express (Ire), 115, g, 4, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Mohican
Princess (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB). (150,000gns Ylg '13
TATOCT). O-Larry Yung Chi Kin; B- K. Molloy (Ire); T-J. Size.
HK$345,000.
Margins: 3/4, SHD, HF. Odds: 28.00, 7.80, 2.10.
Also Ran: Secret Weapon (GB), Anticipation (Ire), Harbour Master, Gun Pit (Aus), The Alfonso (Aus), Basic Trilogy (NZ), Flame Hero (NZ), Romantic Touch (Aus), Renaissance Art, Helene Super Star, Helene Happy Star (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post chart. HKJC Video.
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