Galaxy Witness has emerged as an early contender for next season’s Four-Year-Old Classic Series after brilliant victory for Caspar Fownes and Joao Moreira as Leading Fortune upstaged a cluster of this month’s BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) hopefuls to continue the championship-leading seasons of Zac Purton and John Size at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Galaxy Witness remains unbeaten after three starts, managing the rise in class and distance with aplomb with a driving triumph in the Class 3 Hyacinth Handicap (1400m) after missing the start before sweeping home in 22.84s for the last 400m.
“He’s a nice horse, he’s slowly improving – he’s gone from 1000m to 1200m to 1400m and he’s still learning. So, he’s quite nice for next season, we’re going to have some fun with him,” Fownes said before confirming the 2023 Four-Year-Old Classic Series, which culminates in the BMW Hong Kong Derby, is a long-range aspiration.
“He’s run well and he’s done his job nicely and I hope that we can get another one (win) with him. He’s the type of horse who’s going to get further, so we’re going to treat him like a good horse – which he is – and keep progressing.”
On a day when Moreira, Purton and Blake Shinn shared riding honours with doubles, Flying Ace also preserved an unblemished record with a fourth consecutive win for David Hall and Matthew Poon, charging late to land the Class 3 Freesia Handicap (1200m), motoring over the last 400m in 22.83s.
“It certainly wasn’t a big margin, but he’s still not getting all the favours, is he?” Hall said after the son of Swiss Ace prevailed over Rock Ya Heart by a short head. “I know the horse can race a helluva lot closer. He’s having to make up ground and do it the hard way and he had more weight (126lb) today. He wasn’t as impressive at the finish because it was quite close, but to win four in a row in a preparation – for any horse in Hong Kong is great – he’s doing his job very well.
“He’s, mentally, not there yet – he still does plenty of things wrong. He’s a bit of a quirky horse with his mind. He’s got that potential and will get there eventually.”
Purton executed the upset of the day when Leading Fortune emerged from Beauty Live’s slipstream to down the Classic entrant by a neck in the Class 3 Jonquil Handicap (1600m), while Precise Express finished third with Copartner Elites in fourth placing.
Needing to win to bolster hopes of running in the HK$24 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 20 March, Beauty Live led for Moreira and completed a leisurely first 800m in 49.33s, but could not repel Leading Fortune’s late acceleration.
A son of Siyouni, Leading Fortune’s previous five victories had materialised in Class 4 but the six-year-old handled the rise in class in style, ultimately cruising to the softest of wins for Purton, who leads Moreira 82-78.
