Once again an old reject from Hong Kong showed that New Zealand WFA form or G1 form for that matter has no depth regardless what high numbers so many locally are now are seemingly given. Fay Fay was a G1 winner of the Hong Kong Derby as a 4yo (his last actual race win and it came in March of 2012) but he resumed here as a 7yo that had not raced since May of 2013. His trainers Trevor and Martin Cruz admitted the horse was almost a lost cause and when you consider since his Derby win he placed just once in twelve starts you can understand why. One of the Cruz boys tellingly said that only injured or rejected horses are sent to New Zealand to see if they can resurrect their careers. It should also be noted that some fourths or fifths of Fay Fay came behind some reasonable types. The track at this stage of the day was badly affected by rain and cutting up deluxe plus many late scratchings showed what trainers and owners thought of Tauranga. Fay Fay had no real wet track form as they only run on strathayr at Sha Tin or Happy Valley so conditions never get too diabolical. The big gelding came from second last midrace to bury his rivals at G2 under WFA over a mile and clock a tepid 1:36.96. It was the worst time of the day by two lengths (a maiden mile was quicker at this point) at this stage until two races after this when Tauranga had really become waterlogged a Ratings 65 winner ran 1:39.04. The surprising thing was the price of Fay Fay at $15 as he still had class and that his main target was a 2000m at WFA in December. How will they beat him if he is fitter then and stays sound? Julinsky Prince ran on well late to nab second but is not really a WFA galloper so it was more likely the footing played into his hands. I Do had a very high NZ rating by chief handicapper Brett Scelly of 108 leading into this had provisionally he had given Fay Fay 105 but that is absurd and he will be backpedaling big time after today. Reality bites sooner or later and just to add insult to insult a 9yo in the race Veyron was rated a 107 by Scelly before today and finished fourth. It is amazing that rejects or returning from injury Hong Gallopers keep getting under-rated in New Zealand as they clean up even when not fully fit. Earlier this spring an 8yo that was retired in Pure Champion won at G1 under WFA and defeated I Do, so these numbers given out are not realistic for all too see surely? Twice beaten by two retired old rejects is a sobering fact. One of the fifths that Fay Fay ran in February of 2013 was behind Pure Champion, so the Hong Kong form stacks up but not sure why the New Zealand numbers awarded by Scelly (for locals let alone overseas raiders) are so out of touch with reality. The race came down to a simple fact of who wanted it the final 100m out of four runners still in the fight and what really had the will to win. Fay Fay did and won by half a length. Veyron wilted to fourth and the 9yo at least was taken to the lead rather than sitting wide in a ridiculous lane throughout. Zennista was disappointing and Survived, which won this race last year, was poor but found to be mildly lame after the race. Shandream compounded to a distant last and her rider eased the mare down thinking something was amiss. She was given an all clear afterwards at this point but the fact is WFA is what made her stop. The owners of injured and old or rejected as competitive at home anymore Hong Kong gallopers must now see New Zealand racing as a last chance saloon and easy money earning place with far less depth. The results are incredible and this season alone has seen a G1 win, a G2 win and a G1 placing. Mind boggling stuff that the chief handicapper surely must have noticed now and starts to take very seriously.
Previous Winners
Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
SURVIVED
(NZ)
4G ZED (NZ) - LIBERAL (NZ) GENEROUS (IRE) |
O P BOSSON | 59.0 | JOHN BARY | 5 |
|
ZENNISTA
(NZ)
5M ZENNO ROB ROY (JPN) - ZARNITSA (NZ) MAROOF (USA) |
A CALDER | 57.0 | L LATTA | 6 |
|
LADY CHAPARRAL
(NZ)
5M HIGH CHAPARRAL (IRE) - IMAGES (NZ) GLEAM MACHINE (USA) |
DANIELLE JOHNSON | 57.0 | CHRIS WOOD | 8 |
|
SALVATORE
(NZ)
6G HOWBADDOUWANTIT (USA) - JUST BERCEUSE (NZ) OREGON (USA) |
M CAMERON | 59.0 | ANNE HERBERT | 5 |
|
SIR SLICK
(NZ)
8G VOLKSRAAD (GB) - OUR MISS OPERA (NZ) PARIS OPERA (AUS) |
SAMANTHA COLLETT | 59.0 | GRAEME NICHOLSON & PAUL ALLBON | 11 |
|
SAMURAI
(NZ)
7G DAGGERS DRAWN (USA) - WAIT AND SEA (NZ) RACING IS FUN (USA) |
DAVID WALKER | 59.0 | NEIL CONNORS | 5 |
|
WHO KNOWS
(NZ)
6G CAPE CROSS (IRE) - RICAMO (NZ) KAAPSTAD (NZ) |
A CALDER | 59.0 | NATALIE TANNER | 5 |
|
HIGH OCTANE
(NZ)
5G TOWKAY (AUS) - TRENDY AND TRUE (AUS) PRINCE TRUE (USA) |
T N HARRIS | 59.0 | GREGOR ROBSON | 4 |
|
SIR SLICK
(NZ)
5G VOLKSRAAD (GB) - OUR MISS OPERA (NZ) PARIS OPERA (AUS) |
V D JOHNSTON | 59.0 | G NICHOLSON | 1 |
|
MILLENNIUM
(NZ)
8G PRIZED (USA) - ROYAL MED (USA) MEDIEVAL MAN (USA) |
L C TILEY | 58.0 | STEPHEN & TREVOR MCK | 4 |
|
MILLENNIUM
(NZ)
7G PRIZED (USA) - ROYAL MED (USA) MEDIEVAL MAN (USA) |
P D JOHNSON | 58.0 | STEPHEN & TREVOR MCK | 2 |
|
JUST AQUA
(NZ)
8G JUSTICE PREVAILS (AUS) - AQUILAC (NZ) CRESTED WAVE (USA) |
L C TILEY | 58.0 | GRAEME SANDERS & DEBBIE SWEENEY | 3 |
|
TIT FOR TAAT
(NZ)
5G FALTAAT (USA) - MISS KIWITEA (NZ) TRULY VAIN (AUS) |
B HIBBERD | 58.0 | W HERBERT | 6 |
|
EMERALD DREAM
(AUS)
5M DANEHILL (USA) - THEME SONG (NZ) SACKFORD (USA) |
J C COLLETT | 55.5 | M BAKER | 1 |
|
SHE'S A MEANIE
(NZ)
5M PRINCE SALIERI (AUS) - SHEKANWYN (NZ) MUSICAL PHANTASY (USA) |
L A O'SULLIVAN | 55.5 | P MILICH | 12 |