Deep Field is not the only Australian sire that is a Hong Kong favourite with Star Witness also building an impressive record with one of his brightest prospects notching his third successive win at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Three year-old gelding Galaxy Witness made a winning debut for the Caspar Fownes stable on December 27 before winning again on February 3 and then kept up the good work on Sunday when powering clear to win a Class Three over 1400m by the best part of a length after missing the start.
Galaxy Witness has emerged as an early contender for next season’s Four-Year-Old Classic Series.
“He’s a nice horse, he’s slowly improving – he’s gone from 1000m to 1200m to 1400m and he’s still learning. So, he’s quite nice for next season, we’re going to have some fun with him,” Fownes said before confirming the 2023 Four-Year-Old Classic Series, which culminates in the BMW Hong Kong Derby, is a long-range aspiration.
“He’s run well and he’s done his job nicely and I hope that we can get another one (win) with him. He’s the type of horse who’s going to get further, so we’re going to treat him like a good horse – which he is – and keep progressing.”
Galaxy Witness was a $160,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Edinglassie draft for John Foote Bloodstock and is a half-brother to stakes-winner Niedorp being the third winner from three foals to race from unraced Lonhro mare Black Tulip, a half-sister to Group II winner Hanks from the family of Champion US 2YO Colt and Group I wire Dehere (USA).
A Rubick yearling colt from Black Tulip was a hot commodity at Inglis Premier when fetching $300,000 for Woburn Farm and purchased by Hong Kong Bloodstock / Andrew Williams Bloodstock
Widden Stud’s Star Witness has had 21winners from 30 runners in Hong Kong and those winners include stakes-winner Explosive Witness.
Star Witness switched to Widden Victoria last spring and was well received down south covering 118 mares at a fee of $16,500.
