Ex-Stakes placed Sydney juvenile wins in Hong Kong

A former promising Sydney juvenile recorded his first win since arriving in Hong Kong when taking out the HO Chung Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin on Tuesday.

A son of Stratum, Straight Gold was placed in the Group II Silver Slipper earlier this year. He then finished fourth behind Smart Missile and Sepoy in the Group II Todman Stakes before being spelled.

Straight Gold was then transferred from Hawkes Racing to the Hong Kong stables of John Moore. The colt finished towards the tail of the field in his debut Hong Kong start over 1200 metres but bounced back with a polished performance second-up.

The three-year-old recorded a slick 56.74 seconds for the 1000 metre event. Jockey Neil Callan said he was impressed with Straight Gold’s performance.

"He really gives you the feel of a serious horse,” Callan told the South China Morning Post.

"The object of the exercise today coming back to 1,000 metres and with the crossed nose band on was to get him settled.

"My horse literally pulled his way up to the lead. I could have gone to the front earlier if I'd wanted but then he idled the last bit after he'd killed them off.

"I've ridden some good sprinters at home in the UK, but the feel you get from the Southern Hemisphere horses is completely different. This is a big, powerful horse and I think there is plenty more to come.”

Meanwhile, Aussie hoops Darren Beadman and Tye Angland collected a race each at the Sha Tin meeting.

Beadman teamed up with ex-pat John Size to win Long Ke Handicap with Lucky Bravo. The win took his season tally to 18.

Angland’s win aboard Super Strike in the Tsam Chuk Wan Handicap was his 11th for the season. Douglas Whyte leads the jockeys premiership on 38 wins.

Story: Nic Ashman RaceNet

Photo: sportpix.com.au