Karaka Graduate Money Catcher Wins G3 January Cup

A breakthrough Hong Kong season for Money Catcher (NZ) (Ferlax) hit another high on Wednesday night with a bold front-running performance in the HK$3.9m Group Three January Cup (1800m) at Happy Valley. 

Bought for $13,000 from the 2018 Karaka May Sale and $60,000 from the Ready to Run Sale a year later, Money Catcher has now earned HK$15m (NZ$3.03m) from a 24-start career that has produced three wins and 13 placings.

The five-year-old began this season with only one win to his name, although he had placed in numerous black-type races in both New Zealand and Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong Derby (2000m), Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and Group Two Avondale Guineas (2100m) and Auckland Guineas (1600m). Those New Zealand placings came under his previous name of Jason Belltree.

He claimed his first black-type victory with an all-the-way win in the Group Three Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse (1800m) at Sha Tin in early November, then stepped on to Hong Kong’s biggest stage with a gallant placing in the Group One Hong Kong Cup (2000m).

Wednesday’s heroics proved those performances were no fluke, rolling to the front under jockey Silvestre de Sousa and putting his rivals to the sword in the straight.

Money Catcher kept going strongly all the way to the line, setting a new class record with his time of 1:47.94.

“He’s an improving horse and since he’s got his head in front, it’s brought him confidence and he’s been running better races,” De Sousa said. “He ran on International Day and he ran a great third. Through the season, this will be the improving horse.

“Today, I felt he was a bit lost on the track – a bit goofy – and the track could be a bit tight for him. He’s a big unit, he’s a galloping horse but he pulled it off well.”

Money Catcher is owned by the Sunflower Syndicate and is trained by Frankie Lor.

“He deserved that win,” Lor said. “He’s always consistent, and when he can lead or sit second or third, he’s good.”