Towkay's becoming a big hit in Hong Kong
The win of Animation at Sha Tin on Saturday at his first start in blinkers may be the first of several, with the New Zealand-bred gelding doing it the hard way before comfortably landing the Lancashire Handicap.
Animation carries the Group One-winning silks of Mr and Mrs Hui Sai-fun, whose more famous colour-bearer is Scintillation, winner of 12 races and HK$23 million for his connections.
Scintillation is trained by Danny Shum Chap-shing, who also puts the polish on Animation, a chestnut three-year-old by emerging Last Tycoon stallion Towkay from Chica Guapa, a daughter of the versatile and genuine Waikato Stud stalwart Centaine.
Towkay is a three-quarter brother to Danasinga and each of these Northern Dancer-line stallions has done a good job, producing a tough breed of racehorse that seems to be particularly suited to Hong Kong.
Towkay, a Group Three-winning sprinter during his racing days with the David Hayes stable in Australia, has become a popular sire for Sam and Catriona Williams' Little Avondale Stud in New Zealand. Earlier this year, a share in Towkay was sold to Hong Kong Breeders' Club founder Peter Yip Hak-yung for an undisclosed amount, so the chances are we will see even more Towkays here in the future.
In Hong Kong, Towkay is best known as the sire of Armada, named champion miler last season for his victory in the Group One Stewards' Cup and International Mile Trial, as well as finishing a game second to The Duke in the 2006 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile.
Animation began from barrier 14 at the 1,400m start and apprentice Marco Chui Kwan-lai progressively worked his way across to take up the lead at the first corner.
However, with Silly Boy kicking up inside him, Chui was never able to cross to the rails and was forced into the playmaker role from the two-wide position.
Experienced racing folk will tell you this is a difficult position for horses to win from, probably because they never get completely balanced and are always conscious of a horse immediately to their inside.
But Animation made light of the disadvantage. Once Chui cross-reined and asked for more at the 300m, the youngster lengthened impressively and at the line held a ?-length margin over the late-closing Monte Cristo (Gerald Mosse).
Monte Cristo, a winner on debut at big odds at his only other start, has come from last in what has been another solid effort.
The Red Ransom four-year-old has a big finish and better races undoubtedly await.
