By Alan Carasso
The tight-turning track at Happy Valley is not every horse's cup of tea, but Harbour Master (Mizzen Mast) has always thrived at the city venue and recorded the most important victory of a productive career in Wednesday's G3 January Cup, leading home an American-bred 1-2 for Juddmonte Farms' Mizzen Mast (Cozzene).
Trained by Charlie Hills to one win from five European starts, the horse formerly known as Market Land had recorded three of his seven Hong Kong wins at the Valley, including a Class 1 success on three days' rest Oct. 26. Sixth to Horse of Fortune (SAf) (Stronghold {GB}) in the G3 Sa Sa Ladies' Purse H. Nov. 6 and in back of Gonna Run (Fr) (Hurricane Run) in a Sha Tin Class 1 Nov. 27, he made some late ground into fifth in a Dec. 17 Class 2 over the Sha Tin all-weather track.
Drawn widest in this field of 11, Harbour Master was snagged straight back to last by Zac Purton and quickly moved down to the inside as the well-backed Packing Dragon (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) burned some fuel to get across and lead under his feathery weight passing the winning post for the first time. The pace was genuine enough, but Romantic Touch (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) added fuel to the fire with a sharp middle move to take command with just about 600m to race. Packing Dragon punched right back to head the January Cup field into the stretch, while Purton was no better than eighth with plenty of traffic to negotiate at that stage. Packing Dragon boxed on gamely and was ultimately grabbed by Circuit Land (Mizzen Mast) close home, but Purton was able to weave his way through atop Harbour Master and managed to get his head down on the line first.
“It was certainly a messy race, there was a lot happening at different stages,” Purton said of Harbour Master, a close third in the 2015 January Cup. “I didn't have much option from the gate–had to ride him a little bit conservatively. I was able to track up a little bit, but then there were a few moves and a lot happening and I just had to wait and bide my time. When the split came, he showed a good turn-of-foot and a good will to win. He'd been working well so I expected him to run well.”
Pedigree Notes:
Harbour Master is the latest success for a Juddmonte-bred son of Mizzen Mast in Hong Kong, as the sire's Giant Treasure (ex Palisade, by Gone West) won the 2016 G1 Stewards' Cup after a runner-up effort to Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) in the 2015 G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile. Harbour Master is out of an unraced daughter of Dokki (Northern Dancer), herself a half-sister to Slew O' Gold and the dam of MGISW and dual US Classic-placed Aptitude (A.P. Indy). Dokki was also responsible for GISW Sleep Easy (Seattle Slew). Slew O' Gold's half-brother Coastal (Majestic Prince) won the 1979 GI Belmont S., while further down the page are GISW Real Solution (Kitten's Joy) and his SW & GSP full-sister Ava's Kitten. Geographic is the dam of a now 2-year-old full-brother to Harbour Master named Mapped and a yearling filly by Noble Mission (GB). The mare was most recently bred to Declaration of War.
Wednesday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
JANUARY CUP H.-G3, HK$3,000,000 (£315,410/€368,968/A$536,338/US$386,859), Happy Valley, 1-4, 3yo/up, 1800mT, 1:49.83, gd.
1–@HARBOUR MASTER, 123, g, 7, by Mizzen Mast
1st Dam: Geographic, by Empire Maker
2nd Dam: Dokki, by Northern Dancer
3rd Dam: Alluvial, by Buckpasser
O-Mr & Mrs Chow Kay Yui; B-Millsec Ltd (KY); T-John Moore; J-Zac Purton; HK$1,710,000. Lifetime Record: 45-9-2-4, HK$10,806,260. *Formerly Market Town. Werk Nick Rating: A. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-keen-grad”]
2–Circuit Land, 126, g, 6, Mizzen Mast–Storm Dove, by Storm Bird. (80,000gns HRA '14 TATHIT). O-Ngo Tai Tak; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-C S Shum; HK$660,000.[bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-keen-grad”]
3–Packing Dragon (NZ), 113, g, 5, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–Golden Gamble (NZ), by Oregon. (NZ$190,000 Ylg '13 NZBPRE). O-Money Wong Man Yi; B-E P Lowry; T-Ricky Yiu; HK$345,000.
Margins: SHD, NK, NK. Odds: 10-1, 10-1, 22-5.
Also Ran: Basic Trilogy (NZ), (DH) Romantic Touch (Aus), (DH) Renaissance Art, Gonna Run (Fr), Helene Super Star, (DH) Horse of Fortune (SAf), (DH) Flame Hero (NZ), Twin Delight (NZ).
Click for the HKJC.com chart and VIDEO. HKJC.com PPs. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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