So often the feature event of a big race day can disappoint. Not last Sunday at Sha Tin. There is no arguing that we were treated to a high-quality card at the weekend and Indigenous followed the sponsor's script to the letter, producing not only a thrilling win in the San Miguel Silver Tankard but a top-class performance as well. On another red-letter day for champion trainer Ivan Allan, Indigenous was brought with a powerful run under champion jockey Basil Marcus from what looked like a desperate position on the home turn to touch-off Che Sara Sara (81) and Forest Spring (75). There was never any likelihood of the great Co-Tack's track record being threatened, but the front two officially clocked one minute and 34.8 seconds for the 1,600-metre trip and that equals the previous best Class record held by Che Sara Sara. Throw in the knowledge that the surface was riding no faster than good, despite the official description of 'good to firm', and the quality of the run starts to become clear. The effort earned Indigenous a Topspeed rating of 91 for his Silver Tankard victory. That level of speed figure is undoubtedly out of the top-drawer, but let's put it into further perspective. Sunday's effort rates in the top 10 recorded by a Hong Kong-trained horse this season, but it wasn't his best. Indigenous clocked a time figure of 95 in the International Vase last time out and had a rating of 94 to his name last season. His Vase figure of 95 ranks the fourth best by a Hong Kong-trained galloper this campaign, taking a position below only Fastest Star (98), Multi-Star (97) and the first Hong Kong horse to make the International Classification, stablemate Oriental Express (97). Indigenous was just the first leg of a four-timer for Allan and, while his Silver Tankard win was the performance of a champion, Billion Win returned the performance of a future champion for the second leg in the Class Two San Miguel Handicap. Carrying 12 pounds less, Billion Win's time of one minute and 35.7 seconds was a full 0.9 of a second slower than his stablemate's, but he did little more than coast home and simply hacked-up. Certainly the bare time is solid but nothing to write home about, equating to a Topspeed rating of 67, and we already know he is capable of a much superior time performance having clocked a rating of 80. Even so, the manner of his win in a decent time was special and confirmed previous impressions that this is most definitely an outstanding individual in the making. Allan hasn't got the monopoly on quality thoroughbreds, though, and David Hill's Supreme Bases also gave notice that he is a quality staying proposition with his dominant success in the 2,200-metre San Miguel Dark Handicap. Hill suggested the former Dermot Weld-trained galloper had needed time to acclimatise but we had fair warning of his potential from his last two starts, especially after earning a rating of 73 when second to Pride And Joy in November. Sunday's win is credited with a time figure of 80 and, with the potential for further progress, this is another that should be playing a role in all the major staying races.
