Hong Kong, May 25 – Talented Catbird three year-old Green Birdie powered home from last to grab second to Medic Power in the Group Three HSBC Premier Sha Tin Vase at Sha Tin on Thursday.
The 1200 metre sprint featured a star studded field of up and comers, with a new course record time established for the 1200 metre journey at 1:07.7, a tick better than the previous mark shared by Absolute Champion and Sacred Kingdom, who tasted his first defeat in finishing fourth.
Green Birdie has hit top form for leading trainer Caspar Fownes with a win and a second from his first three runs in Hong Kong after transferring from the Melbourne stable of Brian Jenkins in January.
“I’m very excited, and he would have finished a bit closer but for being held up at the 400 metres," Fownes said.
"No one ever likes getting beaten, but I’m delighted with the horse – he’ll be a cracker next season."
Beaten a length by champion mare Miss Andretti when second in the Group Two MVRC Moir Stakes last spring, Green Birdie was among the better sprinting three year-olds in Australia and it is great to see him just as competitive with the best in Hong Kong.
Bred and offered for sale by Whakanui Stud, the dashing bay colt 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 Two winner Casino Prince and stakes-winner Lord of the Land.
Golden Slipper winner Catbird has been enjoying a great run in Hong Kong this season with seven winners from 14 runners.
Catbird has good representation at the Magic Millions National Sales with nine yearlings and five weanlings.
