Bowman Completes 'Huge' Weekend

Jockey Hugh Bowman was one of the human stars on Saturday's Golden Slipper program at Rosehill Gardens, as he put yet another impeccable ride on Australia's superstar mare Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) en route to a smashing victory in the G1 China Horse Club George Ryder S., her eighth on the bounce and fifth at Group 1 level. A handful of hours later, he and three of his fellow Australian-based riders took the red eye north to Hong Kong, where Bowman was to ride Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) in the prestigious Hong Kong Derby. Some 29 hours after the George Ryder success, Bowman gave the well-tried gelding a textbook ride from midfield, produced him in the stretch and outfinished fellow Kiwi-bred Victory Magic (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}). It was the second Derby winner in three years for legendary trainer John Moore and a record-equalling fifth overall.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
BMW HONG KONG DERBY, HK$18,000,000 (£1,604,417/€2,053,109/US$2,320,510), 4yo, 2000mT, 2:01.76, gd.
1–WERTHER (NZ), 126, g, 4, by Tavistock (NZ)
1st Dam: Bagalollies (Aus), by Zabeel (NZ)
2nd Dam: Lady's Night, by Ascot Knight
3rd Dam: Night Stand, by Fluorescent Light
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; J-Hugh Bowman; HK$10,440,000. Lifetime Record: GSW & MG1SP-Aus, GSW-NZ, 17-6-6-2, HK$19,487,150.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]2–Victory Magic (NZ), 126, g, 4, Savabeel (Aus)–Zephyr Song (NZ), by Danasinga (Aus). (NZ$140,000 Ylg '13 NZBPRE; NZ$240,000 2yo 'NZBRTR). O-Mr & Mrs Sebastian Man Shiu Wai; B-G J Chittick; HK$3,960,000.
[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]3–Giovanni Canaletto (Ire), 126, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Love Me True, by Kingmambo. O-Eugene Chuang Yue Chien; B-Southern Bloodstock; T-Tony Cruz; HK$1,800,000.
Margins: HD, 3, 3/4. Odds: 23-10, 12-1, 16-5.
Also Ran: Consort (Ire), Helene Paragon (Fr), Lucky Girl (Aus), Sun Jewellery (Aus), Friends of Ka Ying (Aus), Eastern Express (Ire), White Magic (Ire), Green Dispatch, Blizzard (Aus), Hero Look (Ire), King Genki (Fr).
Click for the HKJC.com chart and PPs. VIDEO.

Werther made the first 10 starts of his career in New Zealand for three victories under the care of trainer Andrew Campbell–also the trainer of Werther's sire–including a one-length success in the G2 Championship S. at Ellerslie. Sent across the Tasman to take in some of the later-season 3-year-old features, the attractive bay continued to thrive and made a favorable impression, with runner-up efforts in the G1 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville in Adelaide last May and in the G1 Queensland Derby (2200m) at Brisbane's Doomben Racecourse in June around a strong victory in the G2 Eagle Farm Cup (2200m) at the latter facility.

Having stamped himself as a galloper of considerable talent, he was sold to Hong Kong in a deal put together by Magic Millions' David Chester and Gary Moore and began his Derby prep in front of the world on Hong Kong International Races day Dec. 13, where he took out a Class 2 over 1600 metres at odds of 16-1 with Bowman in the irons for the first time. Despite that proven Australasian form over much further, Werther closed off generously in the Jan. 24 Hong Kong Classic Mile to get to within a neck of Sun Jewellery (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) and was possibly just the slightest bit disappointing when beaten a head by Sun Jewellery in a blanket finish in the Hong Kong Classic Cup going the metric nine furlongs when last seen Feb. 21. Giovanni Canaletto (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was the favorite overnight into Sunday afternoon, but the money came for Werther late and it proved spot on.

One of four in the race for his trainer, Werther jumped well and may even have led for a second or two, tossing his head about while looking for some cover, which came eventually when wiseguy horse Eastern Express (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Ire}) sidled up alongside the rail-drawn Lucky Girl (Aus) (Onemorenomore {Aus}). King Genki (Fr) (Arcano {Ire}) ultimately came around the field from his high draw to take up the running and the early pace was solid, giving Bowman a chance to settle the race favorite in centerfield. Blizzard (Aus) (Starcraft {NZ}), who dead-heated for third with Eastern Express in the Classic Cup, was left no alternative but to stride forward to race closest to the longshot leader in the latter stages of the backstretch run, but all the while, Werther, who had come back to his jockey a bit after racing a touch keenly, was sneaking up onto the back of the leaders as they raced into the final 600 metres. Blizzard was first to come after King Genki and had a fleeting advantage at the head of the stretch, but Eastern Express had that move covered, while Werther was poised to pounce to his outside. In the meantime, his stablemate Victory Magic saved ground throughout and was sneaking through at the inside to set the stage. The two New Zealand-breds joined forces at the 200-metre mark and dueled briefly, but Werther called upon his superior finishing kick and found the line a head to the good. Giovanni Canaletto, ridden along fully 3 1/2 furlongs from the wire, ran on well to be third ahead of a much-improved effort from G1 St James's Palace third Consort (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). The outposted Helene Paragon (Fr) (Polan {Fr}) made a run from last to be third in the lane, but weakened slightly to be fifth.

“I was a bit worried in the early stages–I let him stride out of the barriers and then he wanted to get on with it,” admitted Bowman. “I just had a little bit of a wrestle, but once he settled into a rhythm, from about the mile, we were in business then and it was just a case of waiting until I got a bit of room and the horse certainly didn't let me down.”

The victory was equally sweet for Moore.

“We've pulled off the big one and we've pulled it off in a big way,” he commented. “I thought this was going to be a really close Derby, I didn't expect the margin to be what it was between second and third. I reckoned there'd be a length between four or five of them. But the result in the end was conclusive.”

Werther is likely to progress to a meeting with his stablemate and 2014 Derby winner Designs on Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) in the G1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II S. Apr. 24.

“He'll 100% be able to mix it with those horses,” Moore insisted. “We'll see what the Japanese send over but from my point of view, he's another star in the making. He's done everything right, so let's progress on to the QEII and the [G1 Champions and Chater Cup [2400m, May 22].”

The winner's dam is represented by a 2-year-old filly by Pour Moi (Ire)–like Tavistock a son of Montjeu–and full-sisters to Werther in each of the last two years. Bagalollies's 2014 produce was purchased by Sona Bloodstock for NZ$300,000 at the NZB Premier Yearling Sale this past January.