By Alan Carasso
Beaten into fourth by Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}) when the 8-5 favourite in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile Dec. 10, Seasons Bloom (Aus) (Captain Sonador {Aus}) atoned for that defeat in no uncertain terms with a half-length success in a loaded renewal of the G1 Stewards' Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse Sunday afternoon.
The narrow second choice to G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup hero Time Warp (GB) (Archipenko) in a wide-open betting affair, Seasons Bloom left gate one without incident and landed right in mid-division as 2016 Stewards' Cup winner Giant Treasure (Mizzen Mast) galloped them along in advance–somewhat surprisingly–of Cup second Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and Beauty Generation. Giant Treasure opened a bit of daylight on the turn, with Werther and Beauty Generation breathing down his neck nearing the lane, but employing his superior acceleration off the home corner, Seasons Bloom was steered off heels to split the Mile winner and Time Warp at the 300m and held sway late for the victory. Last-out Group 3 winner Fifty Fifty (NZ) (Thorn Park {Aus}) proved he could class up at this level and may have gone closer still if not momentarily blocked behind Werther and Beauty Generation at midstretch. At long odds, Southern Legend (Aus) (Not a Single Doubt {Aus}) and Beauty Only (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) flashed home from the tail, while defending champion Helene Paragon (Fr) (Polan {Fr}) was disappointing back in eighth, albeit just over two lengths from the winner. Time Warp went in the air at the start, was used some to take up a forward spot and was one-paced late en route to finishing 10th.
Trainer Danny Shum was duly pleased with the effort of Seasons Bloom and offered an excuse for the run in the Hong Kong Mile.
“He loves to race fresh, this horse,” the conditioner, who suffered several broken ribs in an accident at his stable in the last two weeks, told HKJC's David Morgan. “He was a little bit disappointing on international day, even though he ran a good race–Joao had to use him a lot that day and it made it hard for the horse. He came back with blood in his throat, so we gave him some time off and freshened him up.”
Shum is mulling over a run in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) or cutting back Seasons Bloom for the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m). Both races are scheduled for Feb. 25.
Pedigree Notes:
Seasons Bloom is one of three stakes winner for his late sire (by Shamardal) and is the first Group 1 winner produced by a daughter of Arrowfield's Not a Single Doubt (Aus). Captain Sonador was standing at Raheen Stud in Queensland when he suffered a broken hind leg in a freak paddock accident and was euthanased in February 2014. Season's Bloom's full-brother Ambitious Heart (Aus), winner of a Class 4 handicap at Sha Tin Jan. 13, is the last listed produce for Pyramisa's Lass, a half-sister to South African GSW Sharks Bay (Aus) (Canny Lad {Aus}). Not mated in 2015 or 2016, Pyramisa's Lass was covered in 2017 by Raheen's Golden Archer (Aus) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}).
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
STEWARDS' CUP-G1, HK$10,000,000 (£904,446/€1,031,865/A$1,593,549/US$1,279,161), Sha Tin, 1-28, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:34.74, gd.
1–SEASONS BLOOM (AUS), 126, g, 5, by Captain Sonador (Aus)
1st Dam: Pyramisa's Lass (Aus), by Not a Single Doubt (Aus)
2nd Dam: Pyramisa (Aus), by Marauding (NZ)
3rd Dam: Royal Aria (NZ), by Palace Music
*1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (A$26,000 Wlg '13 MMNWNL). O-Paul & Kathy Lo; B-B M Nolan (Qld); T-Danny Shum; J-Joao Moreira; HK$5,700,000. Lifetime Record: 16-7-2-1, HK$19,012,120. *Formerly Le Capitaine (Aus). Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
2–Fifty Fifty (NZ), 126, g, 5, Thorn Park (Aus)–Udiditagain (NZ), by D'Cash (Aus). (NZ$75,000 Ylg '14 NZBSEL). O-Lee Wan Keung & Lee Wong Wai Kuen; B-Miss J M, K J & Mrs M L Shaw; T-Peter Ho; HK$2,200,000.
3–Werther (NZ), 126, g, 6, Tavistock (NZ)–Bagalollies (Aus), by Zabeel (NZ). O-Johnson Chen; B-C D Allison, C V & J A Barnao, A R Campbell, T G Heptinstall, T M Pivac & D R Platt; T-John Moore; HK$1,000,000.
Margins: HF, NK, NK. Odds: 31-10, 78-10, 10-1.
Also Ran: Southern Legend (Aus), Beauty Only (Ire), Western Express (Aus), Beauty Generation (NZ), Helene Paragon (Fr), Giant Treasure, Time Warp (GB), Joyful Trinity (Ire), Horse of Fortune (SAf), Sichuan Dar (Aus).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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