A tough and consistent campaigner in Hong Kong since his transfer there in 2020, seven year-old Zoustar gelding Healthy Happy kicked off his new season with a win in the Group III The Celebration Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Ridden a confident race by Alexis Badel, Healthy Happy defied all challengers to win by more than a length taking his overall record to seven wins and eight placings from 31 starts with this victory his third in a stakes race.
Trained by Frankie Lor after starting his career in Sydney with Peter and Paul Snowden, Healthy Happy was a $375,000 Magic Millions purchase for James Harron Bloodstock from the draft of Woodside Park.
“He (Badel) controlled the pace very good. I’m very happy because this horse has gone a long time without winning. First-up is always best for him. Last season, he was beaten by a good horse, California Spangle, in this race first-up. This season, also first-up, he won,” said Frankie Lor.
“There are not many 1400m races for horses with high ratings (107), so maybe I’m looking at 1600m races. The Sha Tin Trophy on 15 October may be too close for him. The Jockey Club Mile on 19 November may be his next start. That would give him more time to rest and return to the races fresher.”
Bred by Lachlan River Bloodstock, Healthy Happy is the best of two winners from Group III placed Lonhro mare Lady Lakshmi, a half-sister to stakes-winner Celebrity Girl (the dam of Group I winner Instant Celebrity) and stakes-placed Albaicin (dam of Group III winner Generalife).
This is also the family of Zoustar’s Group II winning filly North Star Lass, who sold recently on Inglis Digital for $1.525million.
Lady Lakshmi has a yearling colt by Fastnet Rock and is due to foal to Home Affairs.
Healthy Happy brought up a weekend stakes double for Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar, whose undefeated three year-old colt Ozzmosis won the Listed ATC Heritage Stakes at Rosehill.
