Mitchell Bloodstock chimed in for its second Group 1 in as many months when Beat The Clock won the Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Beat The Clock stormed to the lead to defeat Mr Stunning (Exceed And Excel) who had relegated him into third place when they last met in the G1 Hong Kong Sprint.

It was the first Group 1 victory for Federation of Bloodstock Agents Australia this year. Mitchell had claimed the final Group 1 for FBAA in 2018 when Voodoo Lad (I Am Invincible) won the Winterbottom Stakes in Perth on December 1.

Beat The Clock has been a model of consistency for trainer John Size and owner Merrick Chung, winning 7 races and never finishing out of the frame in his other 11 starts for earnings the equivalent of AUD $4.05 million.

“He has that burst of speed which only the good horses have,” jockey Joao Moreira said. “He started to pull up about 100m out and wait for the others but he was still too good.”

Beat The Clock is the third Group 1 winner for deceased Yarraman Park stallion Hinchinbrook following Press Statement and Seabrook. His dam Flion Fenena (Lion Hunter) was Group 3 placed in a hot edition of the 2005 Sweet Embrace Stakes behind Carry On Cutie and Media.

He was bred by Jill Henderson and made $70,000 when offered by Yarraman Park at the 2015 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. Pin-hooked by Kelly Van Dyk of Prima Park Bloodstock, he toured the sale-ring again later that year when knocked down to Bill Mitchell for $200,000 at the NZB Karaka 2YO Sale.

Mitchell, whose brothers Arthur and Harry run Yarraman Park, has had a close association with Hinchinbrook and was attracted to Beat The Clock from early on. “I loved him as a yearling, but we couldn’t get him that day,” he recalled. “But we got him at the Ready To Run and, by that time, Hinchinbrook was really hitting his straps.”

Another Mitchell graduate getting mobile in Hong Kong is the Artie Schiller – Tarlaquena colt that made $225,000 at the 2017 Karaka 2YO Sale. Still unnamed, he is trained by Danny Shum for the New Generation Syndicate and began slow work at Sha Tin earlier this month.

Federation of Bloodstock Agents Australia (FBAA) was formed in 1988 to maintain, improve and develop the standards, status and services of bloodstock agents throughout Australia. Its members operate with the utmost integrity and professionalism and are bound by the strict Industry Code of Conduct.

The list of FBAA members can be viewed at: www.bloodstockagents.com.au

BEAT THE CLOCK