Fownes' Dr Green loaded with talent
Caspar Fownes unveiled a quality private purchase in Dr Green at Tuesday's barrier trials and, judging by the superiority of the performance, the highly-bred colt may soon exceed his New Zealand and Australian form.
Although unraced locally, Dr Green is bred to be special, being by the 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus - best known here as the sire of exciting sprinter-miler Floral Pegasus - from the Group-winning Last Tycoon mare Palia.
Dr Green raced 10 times Down Under for two wins, two seconds and a third, but he always raced in the best of company as a result of winning the Wellesley Stakes (Listed Race) by 31/4 lengths at Otaki on his New Zealand debut.
In Tuesday's trial, Dr Green was handled by Brett Prebble, and the two-time champion Melbourne jockey never allowed the bay to come off the bridle at any stage.
He followed leader Happy Partners (Dwayne Dunn) to the home turn and then quickly gave that gelding the go-by, lengthening stride impressively and posting a seven length margin without Prebble ever asking a serious question.
Third placed Add The Fun (Howard Cheng Yue-tin) was a further six lengths behind Happy Partners (and therefore 13 lengths behind the winner), and the five-year-old trialled quite decently, further emphasising the performance of the winner.
The winning time of 61.9 seconds was exceptional, given the wet-soft conditions that prevailed on the morning after persistent overnight rain.
Dr Green arrived with a rating of 92 - right in the middle of Class Two - and should be competitive whenever Fownes unleashes him in the coming weeks.
The second heat was a slowly-run affair, with a wall of horses stretched across the track for most of the way and no rider prepared to let their mounts stride along to make a decent pace.
The result was a hard-held win for recent dominant Class Five winner Silly Boy, handled by Thomas Yeung Kai-tong.
The Secret Savings six-year-old was under a big hold from Yeung to score by three-quarters of a length from Magnificent Horse (Olivier Doleuze) in a slow time of 1:05.0 (final 400m in 25.4).
In a trial where everything was well on the steel because of the slow pace, Whiplash (Dunn) went well for third and stablemate Excellent Boy (Prebble) was always under a firm hold in finishing sixth.
Friday's trials were run in driving rain but two big wins were posted by Danny Shum Chap-shing's stablemates Our Jet and Jolly Good Fortune. Our Jet jumped straight on the lead under apprentice Alex Lai Hoi-wing, raced keenly early before opening up a big margin in the straight when given his head to win by seven lengths from Being Famous and Thistle King.
Although well held in the trial, both placegetters turned in pleasing performances, after settling midfield and wide and working home without any pressure. Jolly Good Fortune turned in the final trial into a one-act affair under Shane Dye, bouncing straight to the lead and extending well in the straight to win impressively by eight lengths from struggling Mainland Master.
HORSES TO FOLLOW: Dr Green, Silly Boy, Being Famous, Thistle King.
