Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse) sealed consecutive HK$5.35 million Gr.2 Sprint Cup (1200m) wins on Sunday at Sha Tin for jockey Hugh Bowman and trainer Manfred Man.
Banishing the memories of back-to-back defeats across his last two outings, Lucky Sweynesse returned in emphatic style on rain dampened ground to round up the field in 1m 09.17s as favourite, while Invincible Sage held on for second with Flying Ace (NZ) (Swiss Ace) grabbing third.
“He needs no introduction. He’s Hong Kong’s best sprinter and he has been for some time. He’s an ultra-consistent horse and it’s an honour to ride horses of this calibre. It was just delightful to get the job done today,” Bowman said.
Now the earner of HK$74.27 million, Lucky Sweynesse is a remarkable 16-time winner from 24 starts – including four times at Group One level – and was crowned Hong Kong Champion Sprinter (2022/23) last season.
Lucky Sweynesse settled at the rear as Nervous Witness fired to an early lead. Turning into the home straight, Bowman sat patiently aboard the five-year-old before pressing the button in the final furlong to run down a tenacious Invincible Sage.
“I was confident in the run because I thought the pace was frantic early and I was able to get in a really smooth, comfortable rhythm throughout. I knew what I had underneath me when I asked him to extend,” Bowman said.
Lucky Sweynesse finished sixth in the HK$13 million Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) and fifth in the HK$13 million Gr.1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) before today.
The 132-rater will now chase consecutive wins in the HK$22 million Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) on FWD Champions Day (Sunday, 28 April).
“At this moment, I’m very happy and we will plan for 28th of April, 1200 (metres) for him again. I hope he can keep his form but I think it should be no problem,” Man said.
Lucky Sweynesse has won three times this term. He captured the HK$26 million Gr.1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) last December.
“The horse normally keeps very well but the last few runs we’ve had a little bit of bad luck and then this race Hugh Bowman rode a good race for us – more patient,” Man said.
Lucky Sweynesse was sold at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale out of Woburn Farm’s 2020 draft for $90,000 to Joe Barnes’ J & I Bloodstock. The gelding was a six length trial winner at Ellerslie out of Shelley Hale’s Cambridge stable before transferring to Hong Kong.
Fly-in jockey James McDonald will reunite with Lucky Sweynesse next start.