Hong Kong, October 27 – Five year-old Catbird gelding Green Birdie indicated he will be a force to be reckoned with on HK International Day this year after turning in a sensational performance to win the Premier Bowl HK Gr 3 over 1200 metres at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Green Birdie was a late inclusion to the Hong Kong International Sprint last year and ran a respectable race when finishing midfield, but now back after a six-month layoff owing to injury, the five-year-old could well deliver on the international potential trainer Caspar Fownes has always believed in.

Quietly ridden by Olivier Doleuze in the Premier Bowl, Green Birdie unleashed his customary sizzling burst at the finish charging home in 21.79 seconds to zoom straight past runner-up Down Town to win by a length and a quarter.

"We opted to return at 1200m because we knew the pace would be on and that was the case here. He trucked along beautifully behind the speed but my heart was in my mouth coming to the 200m as he was caught in a pocket for a second – but he shot clear once he got the gap," Fownes said.

"I’m thrilled because I’ve always said that he’s a very good horse and that he would be a big chance for the Hong Kong Mile. He’s been out with a fracture to a pastern but we gave him the time off and he had been working well. I think there is further improvement to come and the next time you’ll see him is in the Mile Trial next month and then the Hong Kong Mile itself in December."

It was the third win in Hong Kong for Green Birdie, who tasted major success earlier in the year when winning the HK Derby Trial HK Gr 3, before finishing a gallant third in the Hong Kong Derby HK Gr 1won by Helen Mascot.

Green Birdie has been consistent at the highest level in Hong Kong having transferred to the stable of Caspar Fownes following a successful Melbourne spring preparation as a three year-old.

Trained formerly by Brian Jenkins, Green Birdie had seven starts in Australia for two wins and was beaten a length by champion mare Miss Andretti when second in the Group Two MVRC Moir Stakes, as well as running fourth to Gold Edition in the Group One VRC Ascot Vale Stakes.

Bred and offered for sale by Whakanui Stud, Green Birdie fetched $230,000 at the 2005 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale and is the third foal of superbly bred mare Mrs Squillionaire.

A daughter of renowned broodmare sire Last Tycoon (IRE), Mrs Squillionaire is a sister to Group Three winner Palia (dam of stakes-winner Dr Green), also stakes-winner Just Awesome and stakes-placed Lady Capel, dam of Group One winner Casino Prince and stakes-winner Lord of the Land.

Green Birdie’s sire Catbird sadly passed away prematurely in 2007 and his last crop of yearlings will be sold at Australian sales in 2009.