Rowe On Monday – Two-year-old upsets, a $250,000 Debut and looking beyond the stars at Sha Tin
In this week’s Rowe On Monday, a pair of unlikely two-year-old winners point to broad opportunities, rich pickings can’t tempt trainers to push their juveniles and plenty to see beyond the superstars on Hong Kong’s big day.
Nothing like the leveller that is a racecourse
You only need to look back at Saturday’s race results to get a reminder that everyone is equal on a racetrack.
And that sometimes people also get it wrong.
Inglis Nursery winner Where’s The Circus, a Trapeze Artist filly bred by debt collector Bert Vieira, was bought by her “battling” Kembla Grange trainer Paul Murray for just $1250 via Inglis Digital.
She banked $231,000 by winning the Nursery at odds of $51 while further north trainer Liam Birchley is closer to landing a jackpot result with his now bargain filly Dream Roca, a $75,000 buy out of New Zealand in January.
The El Roca filly closed strongly to win a two-year-old race at Eagle Farm at just her second start, with her $65,000 in prize money earned so far enough to guarantee her a start in next month’s Karaka Millions at Ellerslie.
Of the hundreds of horses bred by Gerry Harvey each season, Dream Roca wouldn’t have jumped off the page considering the I Am Invincibles, Snitzels and Wootton Bassets he sold at Magic Millions and New Zealand Bloodstock sales earlier this year, but she has her fair share of ability.
Birchley confirmed Dream Roca was likely to have another start prior to the Karaka Millions on January 24.
“She’s actually bred to run a mile and beyond, and let’s hope she does. But it’s good for a two-year-old to have that demeanour and not waste too much energy and save it all for when they need it,” Birchley said after the filly’s Brisbane victory.
As for Murray, the son of the late Bede Murray, he had not laid eyes on Where’s The Circus until she arrived at his place in September last year.
“I haven’t really had a decent two-year-old for two or three years now so to have this girl come along and put herself up in lights, it’s exciting for everyone,” Murray said.
“I know she was a big price but we came here with a bit of confidence, she’s been showing us a bit back home.
“Who would have thought five years ago that you could buy a yearling online with Inglis and they come out and win a feature race on debut worth $400,000.
“She’ll go to the paddock now and we’ll give serious consideration to the $2 million Millennium in February, we’d be mad not to.”
Debut to watch
Speaking of two-year-olds, the first Magic Millions The Debut, a $250,000 race for first starters, will be held on the Gold Coast on Friday night.
It has, however, attracted a field of just eight runners, perhaps symptomatic of Australian trainers and owners being far more patient with their horses than they were in yesteryear.
Among the nominations is the dually nominated Face The Wild, for Tony and Calvin McEvoy, and the Bjorn Baker-trained Modernist.
Both two-year-olds are also nominated for a two-year-old race at Randwick on Saturday as is another Gold Coast entrant, the Richard and Will Freedman-trained Seductra.
A Tassort filly, Seductra carries the black and yellow “Richmond” silks of prominent Melbourne owner John O’Neill who has horses spread around numerous stables including the Freedmans, Chris Waller, Ciaron Maher and Michael Hickmott.
Progressive horses make mark at Sha Tin
Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior justifiably grabbed the headlines during Hong Kong’s International races but aside from the four “majors” at Sha Tin on Sunday, there were some progressive winners on the card.
David Eustace, who has made up for a slow start to the season with a series of progressive winners in recent weeks, moved to 10 winners for 2025/26 with the unearthing of a European-bred first starter, Helene Supafeeling.
A €41,000 purchase by Blandford Bloodstock at the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale last year, three-year-old Helene Supafeeling backed up his promising barrier trial performances for jockey James McDonald to win a Class 3, a sign the City Light gelding can rise through the Hong Kong ranks.
Another three-year-old, the Jamie Richards-trained Cool Boy, also scored at Sha Tin at just his second start.
He, too, could be a horse capable of progressing further and repaying his owners, with the son of Per Incanto having been bought by Richards and agent Andrew Williams at last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale for $220,000.
Smart Avenue, a son of Shamus Award, also won his first race in Hong Kong, having been bought privately from trainers Mick Price and Mick Kent Jnr after his Pakenham maiden win in January when known as Longford.
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