By Jack Dawling
It may have taken Dazzling Fit until his third start to get his head in front but the David Eustace-trained youngster won in the manner of a horse with plenty of upside when shedding his maiden tag at Sha Tin on Sunday.
While an inadequate 1,200 meters and a sedate tempo had been too tough to overcome on his first two starts in the city, Dazzling Fit looked right at home as he stepped up to 1,400m for the first time in the ninth race of the day.
Eustace’s gelding responded impressively in the straight to sweep down the outside and kick clear to a dominant one-and-a-half-length win.
“I think he is probably going to be a miler and he will be a lovely horse next season,” Eustace told The Standard. “We won't rush him this season but I don't see why he can't have one more run and we can work on him for next season.”
Brenton Avdulla was due a bit of luck on Sunday with six of his 10 rides jumping from a double-figure draw and the Australian rider got exactly that in the sixth race of the day aboard the David Hayes-trained Fortune Boy.
Jumping from stall 13 on a horse that was outpaced early is not usually a recipe for success over the mile at Sha Tin, but Avdulla was forced to go to the rear of the field and found himself in the perfect spot behind a red-hot early speed.
Avdulla and Fortune Boy only trailed one rival in the opening exchanges until the Australian rider made gradual progress on the rail turning for home. After peeling out at the 400m marker, Avdulla was squeezed for room but weaved his way through an opening and powered home in the closing stages.
John Size’s decision to step Bundle Award up to 2,400 meters and Group 3 company for the first time was vindicated when his four-year-old showed an impressive turn of foot to get his head in front passing the Sha Tin winning post.
Bundle Award could only manage seventh over 2,000m in the BMW Hong Kong Derby but he relished a step up in distance and emphasis on speed in the closing stages to deny fellow four-year-old Noisy Boy close for home.
Alexis Badel got away with some sedate early fractions in front aboard Winning Dragon and turned the race into a sprint from the top of the straight.
Bundle Award covered the final 400m in 21.67 seconds - quicker than Ka Ying Rising has ever covered Sha Tin’s last 400m - and just did enough to prevail by a short head.
