by Alan Carasso
Crushed at the tills into $12 (1-5) favourtism to build on a smashing debut effort Sept. 5, Nervous Witness (Aus) (Star Witness {Aus}) absorbed plenty of mid-race heat, but responded to that challenge to annex a Class 3 event over the Sha Tin straight 1000 metres by 3 3/4 lengths, becoming the second Hong Kong 'TDN Rising Star' Friday afternoon.
Drawn high towards the stands'-side rail, Nervous Witness was away alertly, but was pressed to his outside by Brilliant Fortune (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), with a sectional time from the 800m to the 400m mark clocked in a wicked :19.92. Anything other than a superiour animal would be knocked around by that sort of tempo through the middle stages, but Zac Purton sat fairly quietly against him, asked his mount to win the race 250m out and kicked home to score with a minimum of fuss, getting his final quarter-mile in :22.37 (video). The final overall time of :55.24 was just 0.28 seconds slower than that recorded by his David Hayes stablemate Super Wealthy (Aus) (Epaulette {Aus}) in the G3 National Day Cup H. three races later.
Nervous Witness was the third of four winners on the day for the Hayes yard, taking him to 12 at this early stage of the season, while Super Wealthy rang up his 500th Hong Kong winner.
He's special, Nervous Witness! 🙌
The four-year-old scores with utter arrogance once again for @zpurton & @lindsayparkrace. 🔥 #HKracing pic.twitter.com/CwxzrJSFL5
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) October 1, 2021
“[Zac] said he's a Group 1 horse, he said he got put under a lot of pressure from Joao Moreira, he said he just served it to him,” Hayes told the HKJC notes team. “You'd prefer him not to have that pressure but it's nice to see how he responded. He responded like a proper horse.”
Added Purton: They just don't do what he just did–it was special. He got it put to him today and he had to find and he didn't just find, he put them away.”
Nervous Witness, who races in the colours of the legendary sprinter Silent Witness (Aus), is the second foal from Hadiklaim who was acquired for A$2,000 at the 2015 Inglis Broodmare & Weanling Sale. Nervous Witness's 3-year-old half-brother Imatruestar (Aus) (Star Turn {Aus}) was a maiden winner at Grafton Aug. 30 and the mare–who hails from the female family of GI Kentucky Oaks winner Proud Spell (Proud Citizen)–is also responsible for a 2-year-old filly by Supido (Aus).
The first 'TDN Rising Star' based in Hong Kong was fan favourite Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal), whose five victories included the G1 QE II Cup and G1 Champions and Chater Cup.
5th-Sha Tin, HK$1,570,000 (£148,714/€173,895/A$277,522/US$201,664), Hcp. (C3), 1000mT, :55.24, gd.
NERVOUS WITNESS (AUS), 121, g, 4, by Star Witness
1st Dam: Hadiklaim (Aus), by War Pass
2nd Dam: Sticky Date (Aus), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Puddinhead, by Affirmed
Sales history: A$110,000 Ylg '19 INGFEB. O-Arthur Antonio da Silva, Betty da Silva & Teresa Marie da Silva; B-Byerley Trading Pty Ltd (NSW); T-David Hayes. Click for the HKJC.com chart and VIDEO. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
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