Pierre Ng nnveils surprise Derby hope as Sagacious Life stuns in Panasonic Cup

Pierre Ng Pang-chi unleashed a Hong Kong Derby contender from stage left yesterday as Sagacious Life produced a shock win in the Panasonic Cup.

The Brazilian-bred gelding may not have been fancied to get off the mark for Ng on his first start in the city, but that didn’t stop Britney Wong Po-ni punching the 33.65 shot to a last-gasp win in the Class 2 contest over a mile.

Sagacious Life arrived with four wins to his name from six starts in Brazil, headlined by his Group 1 success in the Paulista Derby over 2,400 meters in November last year.

“That was a bit of a surprise,” Ng said. “We were looking to get some prize money and he went and won, so it’s a great result.”

While Sagacious Life appeared to be the first of the 13-strong field to come off the bridle after he settled in midfield, Wong continued to urge her mount forward and made gradual headway in the straight. Sitting in sixth 200m from home, the four-year-old continued to fly home and quickened in the final 100m to nab the well-backed Steps Ahead on the line.

Ng said he will now plan toward the Derby. “The Derby was in the back of our mind but now he’s got some more points and that has to be his target,” he added.

As Wong surged to her biggest win in Hong Kong and fifth of the season, a young contingent cheered on from a balcony above the weighing room.

“The owner requested to race today and he had his kids here as well – they brought us some good luck,” Ng said. “I’m over the moon really. [Wong] didn’t rush him in the early stages. We were slightly behind... but the horse picked up really well.”

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