Double Delight for connections
Owner Peter Law Kin-sang got 'double delight' for his trouble at the barrier trial at Sha Tin on Friday, with Hong Kong Sprint hopeful Royal Delight winning handsomely and new private purchase Jackpot Delight performing with style.
Royal Delight is a last-start winner of the Premier Bowl on October 21 and will be trying to emulate Absolute Champion, who won the same race last season before adding the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint.
But Jackpot Delight has never raced in such lofty company and therefore his effort to finish third, beaten a neck and 11/4 lengths, was full of merit and a pointer to a bright future in his new domain.
Law's preferred jockey Shane Dye chose to ride the newcomer, leaving Jacky Tong Chi-kit to handle Royal Delight.
The proven sprinter settled midfield but quickened up nicely in the straight when taken clear of rival horses. From the 300 to the 150 metres, Royal Delight quickly reeled in the leaders and Tong gave him an easy time of it in the final stages to defeat the late closer Walkonthewildside (Olivier Doleuze).
However, there's little doubt that the performance of Jackpot Delight in coming from near last for third was the discussion point of the race.
Jackpot Delight hails from New Zealand, where he was named Hamlets Ghost and was trained by leading handler Mark Walker. The gelding raced just five times, being beaten on debut and then racking up for four consecutive wins, the latest being over 1,400m at Otaki in June where he was faced with a soft track but made light of it to score by eight lengths.
At his previous run, Jackpot Delight had won over 1,400m at the major Auckland course Ellerslie, carrying 126 pounds in an open three-year-old event on yielding ground. And before that, he had won over 1,200m at Matamata by 13/4 lengths, while his maiden win at Te Rapa over 1,400m in January was by five lengths.
Jackpot Delight is by the sound Danehill influence Danasinga, whose Hong Kong progeny include Danacourt, Singing Diners, Jade Dragonfly, Safety First and King Acrylic.
The four-year-old is a grey, and the colour can be traced through the female side of his pedigree to one of the greats the Australian turf, Gunsynd, winner of 29 races including a Cox Plate in the early 1970s, and for a while the leading prize money winner of all time in that country.
Gunsynd's granddaughter Emancipation was also a grey and also a champion, winning 19 of her 28 starts for former Hong Kong trainer Neville Begg.
Emancipation [by Bletchingly] was known for her lethal acceleration, a turn of foot which was too much for the best horses of her era, including the mighty colt Sir Dapper, who came off a clear second best in a famous match race against the tough racemare at Randwick.
Emancipation's stud career was a little disappointing when compared to what she achieved on the racecourse but her first foal, Royal Pardon, did become a Group winner and finished second to Research in the AJC Australian Derby (Gr 1).
Jackpot Delight is from Principation, a filly produced by former Chequers Stud stallion Prince Echo from Emancipation.
Trial runner-up Walkonthewildside looks like he's back to something like his right form, having finished last of 14 runners behind Slow Waltz at Sha Tin on November 3.
