This time last year talented Fastnet Rock three year-old Straight Arron was working towards an impressive win in the Group III ATC Carbine Club Stakes (1200m) and 12 months on after his transfer to Hong Kong he has broken the ice for his first win at Sha Tin and has a half-sister entered for Inglis Easter.
Previously trained by Chris Waller, Straight Arron looked a star on the rise after four Australian starts for two wins and two placings.
Now in the care of Caspar Fownes, Straight Arron has taken a little while to find his best form, but produced a dazzling turn of foot for Blake Shinn to charge through the field and win the Class Three event over 1800m by more than a length running away.
The rich Hong Kong Derby is on the agenda for Straight Arron, who certainly has the pedigree for it.
“He’s a nice horse, I’ve had him for only three weeks and it’s nice to get a result in a short period of time,” Fownes said.
“Of course, he’ll run in the Derby – it’s 1,000 per cent. He should get eight points for the win and that will get him well into recognition for the Derby and his overseas form tells you he’s a Derby horse.
“He was held up the whole straight today and if he’d got out earlier he would have won by a bigger margin.”
Bred and sold by Torryburn Stud, Straight Arron was a $270,000 Inglis Easter purchase and is the first winner from Group I placed Tavistock mare Imperial Lass (NZ), a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Group I ATC Australian Derby winner Tavago.
