Crown's Master and Kildare Supreme in Asia

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Crown's Master and Kildare Supreme in Asia

Karaka graduates Crown's Master and Kildare both flew the flag for the kiwis at the weekend, winning the feature events in Macau and Hong Kong respectively.

Crown's Master (Last Tycoon - Ranghiroah, by Woodman) returned to his very best form in winning the Macau Group 1 M$ 850,000 Chairman's Challenge Cup over 1200m, a race he had won for the same connections - trainer Joe Lau, jockey Stanley Chin, and owners Tsang Chi Wai and Eric and Yong Seng Chen - two seasons ago.

The seven-year-old gelding travelled sweetly in the box seat, one back and on the rail, before receiving the rails run in the home straight. It was just a question of when, for jockey Chin, who waited patiently before really pushing out the Macau stalwart. Crown's Master won comfortably by one and three quarter lengths, with Let Go (Encosta De Lago) in second and Si Foo (Fusaichi Pegasus) a further two and a half lengths away in third.

Winning trainer Joe Lau said after the race that the next target for Crown's Master was the Spring Trophy, held on 14 February 2009.

"I have to check my horse first but if everything is fine we will aim at the Spring Trophy, which will be run over 1400m," Lau said.

"Full credit to Stanley (Chin) and Crown's Master is now back to his best," Lau added.

Crown's Master was sold by Dean Hawthorne's Anzac Lodge for $70,000 to Russell Cameron at the 2003 Karaka Ready to Run Sale. He has won fourteen times and been placed seven times in twenty-five career starts.

On Saturday at Sha Tin, Kildare (O'Reilly - Jackie O', by Centaine)won his second race of 2009 in outstanding fashion, sprinting to victory in the HK Group 3 HK$ 2,300,000 HKJC Bauhinia Sprint Trophy over 1000m.

In winning the sprint feature he disposed of nine stakes performers including Group 1 winners Nightlign (Align), Joyful Winner (El Moxie), and this year's Group 1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint hero, Inspiration (Flying Spur).

Trained by Derek Cruz and ridden by Howard Cheng, Kildare showed he is right up there with Hong Kong's best after flying home to victory over tough fellow Karaka graduate Enthused (Centaine) by a head.

Kildare was offered at the 2006 Karaka Select Sale by Waikato Stud who will offer thirteen yearlings by O'Reilly at Karaka 2009. Three of these, Lots 139, 401 and 1058, are bred on the same O'Reilly/Centaine cross as Kildare.

O'Reilly has cemented himself as a leading sire in both Australasia and across Asia, and New Zealand Bloodstock is offering eighty yearlings by the Waikato Stud-based sire at Karaka 2009, the largest offering of his progeny at any sale this year.

The dates for the 83rd National Yearling Sales Series are as follows:

*· Premier Sale: 26 & 27 January
*· Select Sale: 28, 29 & 30 January
*· Festival Sale: 1 &2 February

To request a catalogue contact reception@nzb.co.nz.

For assistance with your trip to New Zealand please contact Hospitality Coordinator Victoria Vela at victoria.vela@nzb.co.nz or phone +64 9 298 0055.

ENDS

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