By Alan Carasso
Less than three months after selling for HK$5.5 million (€635,838/US$708,533) at the Hong Kong International Sale in March (catalogue page), Call Me Handsome (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was the subject of some positive reports ahead of his debut and got his career off on the right foot with this battling victory. Purchased by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for €325,000 out of the 2014 Goffs Orby Sale–the second most-expensive of his sire's 111 yearlings to sell that year–Call Me Handsome breezed nicely (under-tack preview) and was tied for the sixth-best price at the HKIS when selling to Elizabeth Lee, who also campaigns the likes of former English GSW and local stakes winner Dundonnell (First Defence) as well as the good sprinter Rad (Aus) (Foreplay {Aus}). Trainer David Hall recruited Zac Purton for this debut run and the 5-1 gamble was off a half-step slowly before improving into mid-field about halfway through the race. Guided down to the stands' rail with about 300 metres to race, Call Me Handsome was sent through a narrow opening and dropped his head down on the line first (video). “I don't know whether he was just too dumb to know it was getting dangerous or whether he was just loving the competition, but he didn't flinch going for that very tight run against the fence. He gritted his teeth and kept going through,” Purton told South China Morning Post. “And coming off just one 800m trial, it's a good effort to win for a horse just learning his trade. Even though he hasn't learnt to jump yet, he travels quite nicely through the race once he is out and rolling along and he has got a future.” Call Me Handsome, a half-brother to listed winner Be Ready (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), is out of a half-sister to the feisty MGISW Ventura (Chester House) from the further female family of Trade Fair (GB).
+Call Me Handsome (Ire), g, 3, Kodiac (GB)–Call Later, by Gone West. Sha Tin, 6-12, Griffin Race (£72k/€91k), 1000mT, :56.58. B-Thomas Hassett. *1/2 to Be Ready (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), SW-Eng.
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