Fastnet Rock four year-old Sichuan Success confirmed himself as one of the rising stars in Hong Kong racing when leading home an Inglis quinella in the G3 Premier Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
The John Size trained four-year-old was eased down on the line by champion jockey Douglas Whyte after reeling in Leading City to stop the clock in a sizzling 1:20.70s.
Sichuan Success (4g Fastnet Rock – Coureuse) was prepared for sale by Yarraman Park Stud and secured by John Foote Bloodstock for $135,000 at the 2008 Inglis Easter yearling sale. He is now the winner of 6 races in 10 outings and is being spoken of as a potential Hong Kong International Mile candidate later in the year.
Sichuan Success is the 17th stakes-winner for Coolmore based Fastnet Rock who stands this spring at a fee of $132,000.
Inglis graduates have enjoyed great success at Hong Kong’s International meeting with the likes of Fairy King Prawn, Lucky Owners, Silent Witness, Sacred Kingdom and Inspiration.
Sichuan Success is the seventh Group winner by Fastnet Rock from the Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale following Wanted, Irish Lights, Rock Classic, Rothesay, Lovemelikearock and Stryker.
The Coolmore based stallion’s first three Group 1 winners – Wanted, Irish Lights and Rock Classic – were all Easter graduates.
Fastnet Rock’s successful Easter progeny on the racetrack has franked the faith buyers have placed in him at Easter, with the likes of Wanted ($900,000), Stryker ($600,000) and this season’s outstanding two-year-old Foxwedge ($925,000) all bringing big dollars at the sale.
Leading City (Shamardal) set a quick pace in front and battled on strongly for second. He is a $275,000 graduate of the 2008 Inglis Easter 11 yearling sale.
Easter 11 has become a great hit with Hong Kong trainers and agents, especially on yearlings by young sires that have been given time to mature and grow, with yearlings physically primed by the April.
The success of Easter II was further underlined when more than 20 yearlings made $100,000 or more this year.