The remarkable run of form of the progeny of young Windsor Park Stud stallion Turn Me Loose extended to Sha Tin on Sunday, where his three-year-old son Eternal Bloom (NZ) landed the opening event.
The youngster took out the Class 4 Ping Hai Star Handicap (1200m) for trainer Ricky Yiu, winning at his second start.
“He’s a nice horse in the making, he’s still maturing, but I like him,” Yiu said.
Out of the O’Reily mare Irish Magic, already the dam of smart Hong Kong performer Baba Mama, Eternal Bloom was bred by the Opaki Bloodstock Partnership and sold via the Ardsley Stud draft at the Book 2 Yearling Sale at Karaka for $40,000 to Upper Bloodstock.
With his eldest only three, Turn Me Loose has already sired five individual stakes winners, including Friday night’s impressive Gr.2 Alistair Clark Stakes (2040m) winner Prix de Turn.
The triple Group One winning son of Iffraaj has had two runners in Hong Kong and both are winners, with Smiling Collector a strong winner on debut.
Turn Me Loose has now had 17 winners from 54 starters and boasts eight stakes performers.
Meanwhile, New Zealand-bred four-year-old Running Glory confirmed his rich promise with his third victory in six starts on Sunday, adding the Class 4 Designs On Rome Handicap (1600m) to his resume.
Running Glory, a son of Kermadec, was purchased by Patrick Payne for $70,000 from Wentwood Grange’s 2019 Book 1 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft and won a trial at Tatura prior to his export to Hong Kong.
Also noteworthy on the Hong Kong card was the performance of Money Catcher to run third in the prestigious Hong Kong Derby (2000m).
The four-year-old son of Ferlax raced as Jason Belltree in New Zealand for Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley, for whom he was a winner prior to his private sale.
Money Catcher was also third in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m), the second leg of the four-year-old series, and has made a good impression from four starts for trainer Frankie Lor.