Wide Gate No Worry for Peniaphobia

No 3-year-old has ever won the G1 Hong Kong Sprint, in fact, few have even tried. But Peniaphobia (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) will try to change that after he was able to overcome the 14 hole and a very wide passage to take this course-and-distance prep in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint.

Winner of the 2013 Weatherbys Super Sprint while conditioned by Richard Fahey, Peniaphobia defeated Class 1 rivals up the 1000-meter straight course June 22 and returned in one of the early-season meetings to be a pacesetting third going this distance in Class 1 Sept. 14. Runner-up in the National Day Cup H. Oct. 1 after striking some early trouble and was entering this off a handy confidence-building victory at Happy Valley Oct. 19.

Amber Sky (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), the G1 Al Quoz S. winner, but a 47-1 longshot here, sprung the gates and took them along at a pace that would have given him every chance to see out this 1200-meter trip. Favored Aerovelocity (NZ) (Pins {Aus}) hugged the fence after departing the one hole and was prominent early, while Douglas Whyte could do no better than three or four wide with Peniaphobia. The previously unbeaten Spalato (NZ) (Elusive City) also covered ground, but was there three wide and had his chances as Amber Sky took them into the stretch. The Singaporean began to back up inside the final three-sixteenths of a mile, but despite the wide trip, Peniaphobia came calling for the lead at midstretch and held sway late, as Smart Volatility (Aus) (Danewin {Aus}) and Flagship Shine (Aus) (Tale of the Cat) closed late. There was no shortage of hard-luck stories, as Aerovelocity was cut off and checked repeatedly in the stretch before finishing last of all. Lucky Nine (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) raced in traffic throughout and was shuffled back to last in the lane before re-rallying into fifth, while Spalato beat just one home.

“He was the youngest horse in the field today and he’s done that very well,” said Cruz, who orchestrated the career of legendary Hong Kong sprinter Silent Witness (Aus) (El Moxie). “He’s an improving horse and I think he’s a serious contender for the Hong Kong Sprint in three weeks’ time. He’ll be stronger and fitter and he’ll be much more professional. He’s a serious horse and he’s improving all the time.”

Added Whyte, “I would be very confident going forward. I think Tony can tweak a few things and I think if a similar or a slightly better Peniaphobia can turn up on international day, he’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong 
BOCHK WEALTH MANAGEMENT JOCKEY CLUB SPRINT-G2, HK$3,875,000 (US$499,690), Sha Tin, 11-23, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.08, gd/fm. 
1–#@PENIAPHOBIA (IRE), 123, g, 3, by Dandy Man (Ire) 
     1st Dam: Umlani (Ire), by Great Commotion 
     2nd Dam: Travel Music (Ire), by Kafu (Ire) 
     3rd Dam: Octet (Ire), by Octavo 
(€11,000 wnlg ‘11 GOFNOV; £20,000 yrl ‘12 DONAUG). O-Huang Kai Wen; B-Aidan Fogarty; T-Tony Cruz; J-Douglas Whyte; HK$2,208,750. Lifetime Record: 15-8-3-2, HK$8,264,640. *1/2 to Safari Sunset (Ire) (Fayruz {GB}), GSP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 
2–Smart Volatility (Aus), 123, g, 6, Danewin (Aus)–Something Funny (Aus), by Baryshnikov (Aus). O-Clarissa Or; B-Price Bloodstock; T-Francis Lui; HK$852,500. 
3–Flagship Shine (Aus), 123, g, 5, Tale of the Cat–Dixie Paradise, by Dixie Union. (A$180,000 yrl ‘11 INGEAS). O-Kwok Chan Yiu; B-H & J Blight; T-John Moore; HK$445,625. 
Margins: HF, 1, NK. Odds: 13-2, 33-10, 29-1. 
Also Ran: Golden Harvest (Aus), Lucky Nine (Ire), Super Jockey (NZ), Exciting Dream (GB), Amber Sky (Aus), Charles the Great (Ire), (DH) Frederick Engels (GB), (DH) Bundle of Joy (Aus), Sterling City (Aus), Spalato (NZ), Aerovelocity (NZ). Scratched: Bullish Friend, Go Baby Go (Aus). 
Click for the HKJC.com chart and PPs.VIDEO. Click for the free Brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree.