Darley sire Dubawi kept his name in lights in Hong Kong when Lucky Nine won the G1 Classic Mile at Sha Tin on Sunday.  Lucky Nine started a red-hot favourite and gave trainer Caspar Fownes a second feature in the New Year after Noble Conquerer’s January Cup victory at Happy Valley.

Lucky Nine (4g Dubawi – Birjand by Green Desert) began his career in Ireland and won at Naas in October 2009 for trainer  Andrew Oliver before transferring to the Far East.

“Lucky Nine is a very exciting horse,” Fownes said.  “He’s certainly an international Group 1 horse of the future.”  Connections will have to decide whether to step him up to 2000m for the Hong Kong Derby in March or keep him at 1600m for the Champions Mile in April.  

His dam Birjand won up to 1400m at Doncaster and Newmarket.  Second dam Belle Genius (Beau Genius) was a G1 winner of the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.

Dubawi didn’t shuttle to Darley Australia in 2010 and the odds about him coming back are lengthening commensurate with his record-breaking results in the northern hemisphere.

Late closer Xtension (Xaar) produced a great trial for the G1 Hong Kong Derby behind Lucky Nine.  He was beaten a length after coming from the tail of the field from a wide gate. 

The runner-up had been third in a hectic finish to the 2009 G1 Dewhurst Stakes and he was fourth home in the 2010 English 2000 Guineas won by Makfi.