Vinery Stud’s Star Turn was identified in a Breednet story earlier this year as a sire that is on the rise in Hong Kong and he started the new season with a winning double at Happy Valley on Wednesday evening.
The David Hayes stable got the cash with four year-old gelding Bienvenue, who scored a dominant length and a half win after travelling wide for Zac Purton in the 1200m Class 4 contest.
A $90,000 Magic Millions Horses in Training Sale purchase for Strike Thoroughbreds from the draft of Lux Thoroughbreds, Bienvenue has won two races and placed four times from 13 starts.
Bienvenue is the first winner from Zagara, an unraced half-sister by More than Ready (USA) to stakes-placed horses Down Low and Max Whooshtapin.
Even more impressive was the Jamie Richards trained five year-old gelding Storming Dragon, who won the Class 3 sprint over 1200m by two and a quarter lengths with Brenton Avdulla on board.
A $140,000 Inglis Classic purchase from Davali Thoroughbreds for RTR Partnership / McKeever Bloodstock / Bevan Smith Bloodstock, Storming Dragon then made $330,000 when re-offered at the NZB Ready to Run Sale in the Kilgravin Lodge draft and bought by Jamie Richards Racing / Andrew Williams Bloodstock. He has three wins and nine placings from 21 starts.
Jamie Richards has had a flying start to the new season with Storming Dragon his fourth winner.
“It’s incredible. We had 21 winners for the whole of last season and now we’ve had four winners in two meetings,” said Richards.
“I’m very, very happy. It’s quite hard to explain, really. To Infinity was a bit of a surprise but Storming Dragon had run consistently well all last season, and he trialled well behind Ka Ying Rising and My Wish and Brenton gave him a lovely ride.
“It’s a wonderful start to the season for the whole team and I must thank them for all the work they’ve done in the off-season.”
Storming Dragon is the best of three winners from Sessantesimo, a winning Flying Spur full sister to stakes-winner Traveston Girl.
Last season Star Turn had six winners in Hong Kong from 11 starters and his lifetime stats for the region are 10 winners from 15 starters headed by Group winning sprinter Cordyceps Six.
The list below of the top sellers for Star Turn this year highlights his popularity for Hong Kong with leading trainer Ricky Yiu purchasing three of his top four, while the others have all been bought with HK in mind (in some cases via breeze up).
