Macau's wonder sprinter Natural Blitz, who saw off all of Europe's top sprinters by finishing third to Silent Witness in the Hong Kong Sprint last Sunday, is likely to remain in Hong Kong and join the stable of Danny Shum Chap-shing.
Shum already trains for owner Danny Lam Yin-kee, but having Natural Blitz to transfer from his Hong Kong Sprint mentor, Macau-based Malcolm Thwaites, to a Sha Tin handler is not completely straight forward.
During the decades of the 'cold war' between the Macau and Hong Kong Jockey Clubs, such a transfer has been unknown and it is only because Macau has produced this sprinter of international standard that the logistics of the move are now being considered.
'We are waiting for an approval of our racing committee,' said the Hong Kong Jockey Club's executive director of racing, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. 'The horse is still here in Hong Kong, pending the committee's approval.'
There are some technical hurdles to be overcome, principally that Lam does not have a spare permit that would enable him to bring a new horse into Hong Kong. But clearly, the club is keen to do whatever it can to help him relocate the speed machine without bending the rules beyond breaking point.
'One option is for a client of Danny Shum's, who may have a permit, to buy Natural Blitz off the present owner, but the club would have to be satisfied this was an arms-length transaction,' Engelbrecht-Bresges added.
Natural Blitz is a New Zealand-bred galloper, a son of the former champion UK miler Maroof. He originally raced in Perth as Shout From Maroof before being acquired for Macau.