Reprising a latent winning habit, Not Usual Talent’s (NZ) (Zacinto) gate-crashing victory in the Class 2 Choi Hung Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday ended an 11-race losing streak while delivering a reality check to the claims of a string of Four-Year-Old Classic Series aspirants.
Winless since July 2019, the former New Zealander saluted under a perfect ride from Frenchman Tony Piccone to give Benno Yung a double in a timely reminder of the abiding value of tough, experienced horses in Hong Kong.
Pitted against eight four-year-olds from powerful stables with aspirations to the HK$12 million Hong Kong Classic Mile on 24 January and beyond, Not Usual Talent was produced late by Piccone to upstage Lucky Patch and Enrich Delight.
While there were excuses for some of the emerging blue-bloods left in his wake, with the certainty that many will benefit from the race, Yung’s six-year-old exploded off a building tempo to assert a decisive authority.
“He got a good tempo today and that suited him,” Yung said. “He’s got ability but it depends on the pace, I’m very happy with the win.”
The six-year-old son of Zacinto has now amassed over $1.3 million in prize money. Not Usual Talent was pinhooked by Ascot Farm from the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock South Island Yearling Sale as a Ready to Run prospect. He went under the hammer at Karaka later
