By Alan Carasso
Owner Edmond Yue Kwok-yin splashed out HK$7 million on the advice of trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing for a 3-year-old son of Starspangledbanner (Aus) at the Hong Kong International Sale, and the gelding made a small, but not insignificant first return on that investment with a handy career debut Wednesday evening at Happy Valley Racecourse.
Nordic Dragon (Ire) had made a favourable impression in a pair of barrier trials, winning one such event going 1200-metres around the city circuit Oct. 14 (video) and another when switched to the dirt track at Sha Tin Nov. 1 (video). Sent away as the 2.5 (3-2) favourite to open his account at first asking, the son of Rely On Me (Ire) (Kyllachy {GB}) was away alertly from barrier four and showed enough speed to head them off while racing one off the inside down the back straight. Clearly in front as they reached the turn, the bay professionally went about his business in the final 300 metres and stayed on strongly to graduate by 3 1/4 lengths (video).
Shum also trains Romantic Warrior, himself a $HK4.8-million acquisition out of the HK International Sale in 2021 who has since gone on to become one of Hong Kong's leading lights. His first-up victory in last weekend's G2 Jockey Club Cup at Sha Tin took his record to eight wins from nine starts and earnings approaching HK$43 million. Romantic Warrior can currently be found atop the markets for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup Dec. 11. Starspangledbanner is also the sire of California Spangle (Ire), recent runner-up to dual Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) in the G2 Jockey Club Mile and second to Romantic Warrior in last year's BMW Hong Kong Derby.
“He's a nice horse and the sire is very suitable to Hong Kong,” Shum said. “He was very impressive. I will start him again here and let him get more confidence and then I'll move him to Sha Tin.”
Added Ho, the regular rider for Golden Sixty: “He's a lovely horse, the race was good. He broke from the gates and took a few strides to pick and travelled nicely by himself and he got the job done. He was very concentrated. He's a decent horse.”
Bred by Matty Smith and Cloneymore Farm and hailing from the female family of G1 Oaks d'Italia winner and G1 Moyglare Stud S. third Menhoubah (Dixieland Band), Nordic Dragon was purchased by Lynn Lodge Stud for €88,000 at the 2019 Goffs November Sale and was resold to the team at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, headed up by Mick Kinane, for £130,000 at the Orby Sale the following fall. Rely On Me is the dam of Nordic Dragon's yearling full-brother who was purchased for 62,000gns by JB Bloodstock from the Baroda Stud consignment during Book 2 of this year's Tattersalls October Sale.
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