A statement 4.5 length win under Vincent Ho at Sha Tin last night has Champion trainer Ricky Yiu plotting an exciting BMW Hong Kong Derby path ahead for farm grad, Victor Supreme.
The talented Super Seth 3YO entered the Ip Jug Hcp (1800m) with a narrow last start second to his name and thrived at his first start beyond 1600m, winning for owner Law Hing Cheung in sublime fashion.
According to the HKJC, Victor Supreme would be aimed at the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, which features the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m), Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and the 150th BMW Hong Kong Derby.
“He won by a reasonable margin – I thought he was a winning chance by maybe a length or two, but not in this style,” said Yiu, Hong Kong Champion Trainer in 2019/20.
“He’s an up-and-coming long-distance horse; even a mile is a bit sharp. He’ll be one of the Derby candidates. When the first stage Derby entries open, I’ll put him in. The way he looks, he’ll be a decent stayer.”
Yiu, who enjoyed three other training victories on the night with Rising Force, Lucrative Eight and Chill Easy, bought Victor Supreme at the 2024 NZB Book One Yearling Sale.
Bred and sold by Elsdon Park, Victor Supreme is out of the winning Makfi mare Collay, who is a noted half-sister to the Champion NZ 2YO and now black-type producer, Ruud Van Slaats.
Talented galloper Yaldi (NZ) (Ardrossan) extended his fine Ellerslie record when he stormed home to claim the open sprint at Ellerslie on Saturday, the Kingmakers “Become A Principal Owner” (1300m) today.
Yaldi has now competed 9 times at Ellerslie for three wins and three placings.
The addition of visor blinkers to the gear worn by the four-year-old son of Ardrossan combined with a nicely judged ride from Matt Cartwright proved important components in the victory as the pair bided their time towards the rear of the field before angling widest into the home straight.
Yaldi accelerated powerfully when asked to go and swept to the front at the 200m before holding out the late runs of Pokuru Gold (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and Lachie (NZ) (Belardo), who both closed off nicely to secure their minor placings.
Forsman wasn’t sure if the new gear had been the only reason for the improved performance by the enigmatic customer but was relieved to see him back to winning form.
“It feels like a fair while (since his last win), so it is great to get the job done,” Forsman said.
“It was a great ride by Matt as he is not an easy ride as you have to have everything go right for you.
“It was a muddling run race, but he got on to the back of the right horses and got the job done.
“There was a little bit of a gear change with the visor blinkers on for the first time but whether that made a big difference I’m not sure as he is a quirky horse.”
Cartwright reiterated Forsman’s thoughts regarding the nature of his mount.
“This horse has got more tricks than a magician to be fair,” he said.
“He enjoyed a nice run and I followed the right horse, but I hit the front way too soon and he tried to throw it away by laying in.
“I do hope he takes a lot of confidence from this as he has good ability and if he decides to work it all out, he is definitely black type material.”
Bred by Max Brown, Yaldi is raced by Elsdon Park and David and Nikki Wilson, who purchased him out of Little Avondale Stud’s draft for just $50,000 at Karaka 2023 with the assistance of bloodstock agent Bruce Perry.
He comes from the family of stakes winner Hammer Down (NZ) (O’Reilly) and the brilliant filly Plume (NZ) (Crested Wave), who numbered the 1990 Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) amongst her 12 race victories.
Yaldi has now won three of his 24 starts, including the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m), and more than $400,000 in prizemoney.
A brilliant rails-hugging ride from Jett Stanley paved the way for Kiwi-bred gelding Hezdarnhottoo (NZ) (Too Darn Hot) to claim an outstanding victory in the last race on the Caulfield card on Saturday, the Darren Gauci Handicap (1200m)
Bred by Elsdon Park’s Lib and Katrina Petagna, Hezdarnhottoo races out of the Bjorn Baker stable and was purchased by Baker in partnership with Clarke Bloodstock for $170,000 out of Elsdon Park’s inaugural 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 draft.
Stanley had most onlookers stunned when he deliberately steered the son of Too Darn Hot to the inside throughout and was more than ten lengths clear rounding the home bend.
The four-year-old gelding never looked like shirking his task and despite a rally from the runners charging home out wide he held on to complete his third career victory from just 13 starts.
Baker stable representative Jack Chard was quick to place the credit for the unusual tactics squarely on the shoulders of Stanley.
“Bjorn told me this morning that we’ll try and get a bit of cover, but they have been coming wide and when Jett said he was going to hug the rail I didn’t think it was the worst idea,” Chard said.
“Look at him now, it’s paid off and was a great ride.
“We’ve always had an opinion of the horse and I’ve tipped him to everyone, but he just hasn’t shown up at the races, so to get the chocolates today is beautiful.
“Last start he didn’t get a run when he needed it and before that he was getting beaten by good horses by a length or so.
“We actually brought him here for a dry track and got a Heavy 8, but thankfully it hasn’t rained that much so it (the track) has held up well.
“I’m just stoked for the team and the owners, so well done to everyone.”
Stanley admitted he had done his homework during the day to come up with the riding plan in the race.
“I’ve been watching and riding in races all day and I just couldn’t wrap my head around how the outside was so much better than the inside when they haven’t run on it for ten weeks,” he said.
“I thought they would be losing five to seven lengths going out so wide, so I went back out after the second last race and walked it again to make sure I was confident in the plan.
“Bjorn said go out there and do what you have to, to get the job done. To the horse’s credit he was lost for much of the race with no-one around him but he just kept pushing and found the line.
“I was either going to be a genius or an idiot and turned out to be a genius.”
The son of Too Darn Hot is the third winner from as many to race for the stakes-placed Savabeel mare Rosa Carolina who raced in Petagna’s familiar blue, yellow and apple green racing colours.
Story: NZ Racing Desk, Racing News
Elsdon Park has purchased the two exciting broodmares Marble Arch and Tszyaya at the recent Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Trained by Lindsay Park, Marble Arch won the Gr.2 Blamey Stakes.
Bred by Goodwood Stud. Marble Arch is by the proven Gr.1 damsire Per Incanto and is from the well-related Sakhee’s Secret mare, Jonquil. This is the Gr.1 family of Daffodil, Atishu, Orchestral, Savaglee, Good Faith, Sepals and Aegon
The second mare purchased via Kerrie Cox and Bruce Perry was Tszyaya, a lovely 4YO by Zoustar out of the Fastnet Rock mare Dynastic Lady.
Dynastic Lady is a sister to the Gr.1 winner Age of Fire and is the dam of the multiple black-type winner Amazonian Lass.
This is also the international Gr.1 family of Fly To The Stars and Fallen For You.
The Caspar Fownes-trained Ardrossan gelding Audacious Pursuit registered his second win in Hong Kong with a gun rails ride from Joao Moreira.
Since selling at the 2023 NZB Book One Yearling Sale to Waikato Bloodstock, Audious Pursuit has had the 12 starts for two wins and four placings, returning HK$2,363,400 to his owner Leung Sze Tien.
Audacious Pursuit is out of the Sebring mare Dolce Amore and was bred by the Dewar Partnership.
The Stephen Marsh-trained and Jack Taplin-ridden Hakusha brought up a winning double for Elsdon Park’s racing team at Ellerslie today, following directly in the footsteps of Yaldi earlier.
Bred by Ridgemont Farm/ Boutique Thoroughbreds, Hakushu is a talented two-time winner who is co-owned with Hawridge Developments, Jamieson Park, Little Avondale Trust and Stephen Marsh.
Elsdon Park’s staff horse of 2025, O ‘Baby, surged to a brilliant winning debut for trainer Kurtis Pertab under George Rooke at Woodville today.
Congrats to O’Baby’s owners Rosemary Carter and Brett Kendall, who purchased her from our 2025 NZB Book 1 Yearling draft.
The popular pre-race favourite Sarrismo secured a ticket to the $3m The Big Dance with a bold win under Andrew Adkins in the Orange Gold Cup today.
Co-bred with Yarraman Park Stud and trained by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, the game 4YO gelding has now put together a record that reads 9 starts for five wins, two seconds and two thirds.
Sarrismo is by the champion sire I Am Invincible and is out of our Group-winning mare Francaletta.
Sarrismo is raced with Yarraman Park Stud, David Dickson and Alex Smith.
The Andrew Forsman-trained Richester filly Wanganella sailed to a well-deserved win in the hands of Craig Grylls on a Heavy10 track at Matamata today.
The three-year-old filly entered the race with four previous starts to her name and a consistent record of one second, two thirds and a fourth.
“She has a good bit of ability and she will get better and better with racing. She still has a few things she needs to iron out – she just needs to relax a bit better, but she will get there and will make a lovely four-year-old.” said Forsman.
The Elsdon Park-raced daughter of Ribchester and the multiple stakes winner Chaparella was bred by Mapperley Stud Ltd & Windsor Park Stud Ltd and was purchased via Bruce Perry at the 2024 NZB Book One Yearling Sale for $100,000.
Wanganella is named after the Australian ocean liner that Lib Petagna’s mother travelled to New Zealand on.
The 2024 Per Incanto ex Bridgewater colt described by Elsdon Park’s General Manager Kerrie Cox as “my favourite horse I’ve ever had anything to do with” has shone at the 2026 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
The special colt was purchased for $675,000 by Upper Bloodstock and will head to Hong Kong.
