Not Listenin’tome Makes ‘Em Take Notice in National Day Cup

Facing some of the top local sprinters with a solid pull in the weights over this minimum distance, Not Listenin’tome put pay to some speedy rivals in a commanding performance.

Winner in Australia of the G3 Zeditave S. between runner-up efforts in the 2013 G1 Coolmore Stud S. and 2014 G1 Canterbury S., the 5-year-old carried Joao Moreira to a defeat of stablemate Charles the Great in the Sha Tin Vase H. over 1200 meters last May, but was off the board in two subsequent tries, both as the heavy favorite, and was having his first run of the new season with an eye on the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint in two months’ time.

Drawn low–that is towards the far-side rail–Not Listenin’tome showed good pace to race with the front rank as one-time G1 Al Quoz Sprint winner Amber Sky (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) showed the way from favored Rad (Aus) (Foreplay {Aus}) through the opening 600 meters. Those two called it a day almost simultaneously into the final furlong and a half, and Not Listenin’tome stayed on best of all for a good-looking victory. Super Jockey, the surprise runner-up in last year’s G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, rallied for second just ahead of Charles the Great.

“I think he could be pretty special,” said winning jockey Neil Callan. An equally elated John Moore, and not lacking for confidence, added, “I’m absolutely gobsmacked–he’s finally done what I wanted him to do. This should take him on his way to become Hong Kong’s top sprinter.” Click for the HKJC.com chart and PPs. VIDEO.

NATIONAL DAY CUP H., HK$3,000,000 (US$387,094), Sha Tin, 10-1, 3yo/up, 1000mT, :55.90, gd.
1–NOT LISTENIN’TOME (AUS), 120, g, 5, Dylan Thomas (Ire)–Flame of Sydney (Aus) (SW & MGSP-Aus, $240,548), by Encosta de Lago (Aus). (A$270,000 Ylg ‘12 INGEAS). O-Matthew Wong; B-M A Pitt; T-John Moore; J-Neil Callan; HK$1,710,000. Lifetime Record: SW & MG1SP-Aus, 15-5-3-2, HK$6,187,570.
2–Super Jockey (NZ), 124, g, 7, Sandtrap–Pennies in Heaven (NZ), by Pompeii Court. O-Tony & Thomas Lau. HK$660,000.
3–Charles the Great (Ire), 127, g, 6, Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)–Jojeema (GB), by Barathea (Ire). (50,000gns Wlg ‘09 TATDEC; 30,000gns Yrl ‘10 TATOCT). O-Julian Hui & Michele Monique Reis. HK$345,000.
Margins: 2, NK, NK. Odds: 32-10, 60-1, 16-1.
Also Ran: Frederick Engels (GB), Golden Harvest (Aus), Access Years (Aus), Peniaphobia (Ire), All You Wish (NZ), Bundle of Joy (Aus), Tour de Force (Aus), Rad (Aus), Amber Sky (Aus).