Stormy Grove swept to a shock victory in the Hong Kong Classic Cup at Sha Tin yesterday and blew the BMW Hong Kong Derby wide open. The Classic Cup – the second leg of Hong Kong’s Four-year-old Classic Series – has a habit of springing surprises, and yesterday’s result was another for the books: a 21-1 chance swooping late to beat fellow double-figure hopes Invincible Ibis and Patch Of Cosmo. Stormy Grove settled near the back but produced a sharp turn of foot to score decisively at his first attempt over 1,800 meters – and in doing so all but answered the big question ahead of the 2,000m Derby on March 22. “If the pace is suitable, he can handle 2,000m – just like it was last time over 1,600m and today,” said winning trainer Frankie Lor Fu-chuen. “I think the fast pace today suited him. The winning time of 1:46.62 was good.”