Torryburn Stud bred horses have been hugely successful in Hong Kong and include Champion Sprinter Hot King Prawn and Group I winning miler and Hong Kong Derby hero Voyage Bubble and while Straight Arron is not quite to their class he is well above average and won the Group II Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Now a six year-old, the Fastnet Rock gelding started life in the Chris Waller stable for Hermitage Thoroughbreds and won the Group III ATC Carbine Club Stakes back in 2022 before being sold to Hong Kong.
Sent out a long shot for this assignment, the Ricky Yiu trained Straight Arron made a lie of his starting price to win by a neck for Matthew Poon beating the race favourite Galaxy Patch.
Owned by Karen Lo, who won last Sunday’s HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) with another former Chrois Waller trained runner in Cap Ferrat, Straight Arron is now a five-time winner in Hong Kong, headlined by the 2023 Group II BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m).
“It was an unbelievable result – a big surprise. The first half of the race didn’t really suit him at the tail and over the mile, I thought it will be a touch sharp for him. He still managed to run through on the rail with the jockey,” Yiu said.
“We were walking with the horse and he (Poon) said to me ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he finished in the first three’. I said ‘it would be a big surprise, especially over the trip’.”
Yiu expects Straight Arron to head to the Group I FWD Champions Mile (1600m) on FWD Champions Day (Sunday, 27 April).
“At this stage, most likely Champions Day over the mile. There’s only two options – 2000 (metres) or mile,” he added.
Bred and sold by Torryburn Stud, Straight Arron has won seven of 28 starts and was a $270,000 Inglis Easter purchase. He is the best of two winners from Group I placed Tavistock mare Imperial Lass (NZ), a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Group I ATC Australian Derby winner Tavago.
Imperial Lass produced a filly last spring by Pierro.
