It's a long way to go to the HK$16 million Hong Kong Derby but when we look back in March, it may have been a barrier trial at Sha Tin on December 2 that provided the first vital clue to the result.
Roma Pegasus, handled by Zac Purton, had his first trial since being imported from Australia and went like the very good horse he undoubtedly is, beating Unique Jewellery (Douglas Whyte) by ? lengths in the smart time of 59.27 seconds for the straight 1,000m turf course.
Roma Pegasus was purchased for owner Steven Lo Kit-sing by bloodstock agent Justin Bahen, whose early purchases are Blue Sky and last-start winner Bold Decision. Bahen had a big reputation in Melbourne as a selector of tried horses, and it looks like his choice of Roma Pegasus as a potential Derby candidate will quickly be vindicated.
The Australian private purchase (PP) is trained by Almond Lee Yee-tat and had a nice preparation of eight gallops leading up to this trial, including a pleasing workout with stablemate Perfect Style (another new PP, but only a three-year-old) on the all-weather track last week.
Yesterday was an important day for the Australian-bred son of the Arc de Triomphe winner Carnegie as Lee lays the foundations for an assault on the Triple Crown races for four-year-olds, which begin with the Mercedes-Benz Classic Mile at the end of January.
Roma Pegasus broke only fairly - a reminder that he had not been to the races for seven months since the AJC Australian Derby at Randwick - but then quickly found his stride and raced handy to the lead throughout.
Purton barely moved his hands on Roma Pegasus and the easy striding four-year-old went to the line nicely to score.
