Hong Kong, April 2 – Golden Slipper winner Catbird featured in Hong Kong on Saturday with a winning double at Sha Tin posted by Bold Win and Cheerful Master, the latter horse well known to Sydney racegoers when trained by Gai Waterhouse under the name of Star Cat.
Five year-old gelding Cheerful Master has taken a while to acclimatize for new trainer Almond Lee, but got his act together in the Class Three event over 1400 metres.
Settling off the pace he stormed home to hit the lead a furlong from home and held the opposition at bay to score by a length and a quarter in a stylish performance.
A three-time winner in Sydney before his sale to Hong Kong, Cheerful Master (Star Cat) was also Group Two placed behind Dance Hero and Eremein in the AJC Royal Sovereign Stakes and was originally purchased by Gai Waterhouse for $75,000 from the Yarraman draft at the 2003 Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
Bred by Yarraman Park, he is the first foal of stakes-winning Snaadee (USA) mare Magdalena, whose yearling filly by Catbird fetched $155,000 at Magic Millions earlier this year and the mare is not surprisingly back in foal to Catbird again.
Catbird also won the previous race at Sha Tin, another Class Three over 1400 metres, this one with Bold Win, a five year-old trained by David Hall.
He finished off his race strongly to score by a neck, recording his first win in Hong Kong after placing five times.
A $45,000 purchase by respected bloodstock agent John Foote from the 2003 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Bold Win was initially trained by Danny O’Brien under the name of Succotash and won a race at Morphettville prior to his transfer to Hong Kong.
Bold Win is from the imported mare Recant (USA), a half-sister to several American stakes-winners by Sky Classic.
