Viva Pronto upstaged the locals with a brilliant all the way victory in the G3 Hong Kong Macau Trophy at Sha Tin on Saturday. The outstanding Macau based sprinter got home to win by a half-length.
Viva Pronto (4g Catcher In The Rye – Steel Shuffle by Steel Blade) was racing in Hong Kong for the first time after building an outstanding record at Taipa. He has now won 9 times in 15 starts for prizemoney over HK$3.7 million.
A star of the Gary Moore stable, Viva Pronto was a $140,000 buy at the 2007 Magic Millions HIT Sale. “We’ve been telling Australia about him for some time now and this result proves he’s a galloper of great quality,” Magic Millions Managing Director David Chester said. “Gary rang me after the race and he’s very excited.”
Viva Pronto ran the fastest breeze-up at the 2007 HIT Sale clocking 10.15 seconds for 200m. He was prepared by Washpool Lodge owner Kevin Thomas who had pin-hooked the youngster for $20,000 from Robyn Wise at the Gold Coast yearling sale earlier that year.
Former Coolmore shuttler Catcher in the Rye got Viva Pronto from Steel Blade mare Steel Shuffle. She won 12 races around the NSW northern rivers and Viva Pronto is her fourth winner after Son Of Steel (Kenfair), Steel Mountain (Monashee Mountain) and Mountain Warrior (Monashee Mountain).
Washpool Lodge also sold a son of Street Cry for $64,000 at the 2007 Magic Millions HIT Sale. Purchased by Laurence Eales and named Shocking, he has more than paid his way with a G1 triumph in the 2009 Melbourne Cup.