Former China-Based Runner Set for U.S. Debut

Beat of the Drum (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) is set to become what is likely the first former mainland Chinese Thoroughbred to race in the U.S. when the 5-year-old mare goes postward in Friday’s seventh race at Santa Anita. A €62,000 Goffs November weanling and 100,000gns TATOCT yearling, Beat of the Drum was a maiden winner at Kempton in five starts for Coolmore and trainer Richard Hannon before being acquired by the China Horse Club. Victorious over a dirt surface at Mengjun in China in September 2013, the bay was last seen finishing third on the turf at Nine Dragons Racecourse last October. Trainer Leonard Powell has engaged the services of Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. “It is tremendously rewarding to have successfully exported stars of the Chinese Thoroughbred racing industry and to provide them and their owners with the chance to measure up in the United States,” commented Eden Harrington, general manager of the China Horse Club. Other China Horse Club-runners based with Powell at Santa Anita are The Ferryman (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Alcott (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).