John Size declared four-year-old Super Kid a potential Derby horse after the New Zealand private purchase triumphed at his second Hong Kong start in the final event yesterday.
Super Kid, paying a dividend of $862, was the fifth outsider to win on the 10-event programme but the extravagant price was of little concern to Size as he began to think toward the $14 million Hong Kong Derby (Group One, 1, 2000m) next March.
'I thought he might still be a bit new and you only have to look at him to know he's not fully fit yet, but I was pretty confident he'd run a much-improved race,' Size said.
Super Kid raced under the name of Cheerine Kid in New Zealand from the central districts stables of respected veteran Kevin Gray.
'I had nothing to do with buying the horse,' Size said. 'The phone rang one day and it was the owner [Wong Yuk-kwan] asking me if I'd take the horse. When he told me the horse had been placed at Group One level in New Zealand, it didn't take me long to say yes.'
Super Kid had figured prominently in the stewards' report after his Hong Kong debut, when he finished eighth of 14 behind Bobo Win on November 2 under the guidance of Shane Dye.
Stewards inquired into the run but ultimately took no action, other than to 'advise Dye his riding in the middle stages was of concern to the stewards and he should ensure at all times he rides in a manner which is not open to query'.
