Sichuan Success Scores Again
Hong Kong, November 29 – Yarraman Park sold four year-old Sichuan Success helped Fastnet Rock achieve a winning double at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Following on from an earlier win on the program by Fastnet Rock three year-old Captain Sweet, Sichuan Success denied promising Encosta de Lago colt Admiration his fourth straight win when running him down in the straight to win the Class Two event over 1400 metres by a neck, reversing the finish of their previous encounter at the same venue on November 6.
Admiration lost few admirers with his game performance after being ridden aggressively to the lead from barrier 14 and giving nine pounds in weight to the winner, who was ridden by Douglas Whyte.
"As I came out of the gates he gave me the indication he didn’t want to be handy, and I would have had to drive him mad to get up on the pace, so I let them go," Whyte told South China Morning Post.
"When I did peel off 500 metres out to get going he just picked up in three strides, and once we got level with Darren Beadman and Admiration the weight difference just helped me get over the line.
"The winning move was the way he got going and he showed that he wants to be ridden more patiently, and might be looking for mile as well."
Trained by John Size, Sichuan Success has been ultra consistent winning three times and running second twice from six starts, but his record should probably be even better given his history of poor manners at the barrier.
"He was a beatable last season by good horses because his barrier manners have never been perfect," Size explained.
"His barrier habits have improved a lot, and now he stands quiet and begins well, which he wasn’t doing earlier.
"Sichuan Success used to have to be hunted out of the gates and put on the pace to be sure he came out with the field, but now the jockeys are confident he’ll jump, so we don’t have to push early and he can lob into a position."
Purchased for $135,000 from the Yarraman Park draft at the 2008 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by John Foote Bloodstock, Sichuan Success was bred by Andrew Bowcock and is the ninth foal of terrific producer Coureuse.
He is a half-brother to stakes-placed Tom Coureuse and Pirouettes as well as good HK galloper Yellow Diamond, his dam a daughter of Magic Millions winner Dancer’s Joy.
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