Every owner dreams of winning Group 1 races and for horse breeders it’s the hallmark of their trade but very few though can lay claim to popular owner-breeder Norman Cheng’s unique achievement in providing the quinella in last Saturday’s $1 million Star Of The Sand Stakes at Taipa.
Cheng’s two entrants in the G1 event were the US-bred gallopers Oakcrest Drive and Brother Francis and they fought out a head to head battle right to the wire.
Oakcrest Drive ridden by Andrew Calder just prevailed by a neck but Stanley Chin the rider of Brother Francis fired in a protest alleging interference over the last 100m.
It was evident that Oakcrest Drive had shifted in over the concluding stages and made contact with Brother Francis but the stewards deemed that Oakcrest Drive had established a margin and maintained that to the line.
The incident was made look even more spectacular with Brother Francis resenting the contact and turning to try and savage Oakcrest Drive coming to the line.
Norman Cheng has been a great supporter of the Macau Jockey Club right from day one and has raced many top line gallopers all around the world but Saturday’s feat was one of his proudest moments.
“I’m very pleased, I bred both of them what a result.” Cheng said.
“Oakcrest Drive is by Arch out of Ascension a Night Shift mare I raced in Europe that won at Group 2 level at Deauville in France, one of her earlier foals was a good hose I raced called Si Foo.”
“Brother Francis is out of Viapervita a German mare that I bought to race in the USA but she injured herself so we had to retire her.”
“Her first foal was Beautiful Sunday who won in the States and has won three in Macau and then I sent her to Lion Heart to get Brother Francis.”
Brother Francis trained by Gary Moore was the more fancied of the two runners going off at even money favorite with Oakcrest Drive prepared by Alan Tam jumping at odds of 16/1.
“My trainer in the States James Cassidy always said that Brother Francis was the better of the two, he ran third in the CashCall Futurity a Group 1 Race at Hollywood Park, then ran third in the Del Mar Derby at Group 2 level. Oakcrest Drive though has really improved in Macau.” Cheng added.
Alan Tam has done a superb job with Oakcrest Drive who has won four and placed five times from his nine starts on the all weather. The geldings turf record is not bad as well with a win and a placing from four starts with over $2 million HKD in prize money to date.
Oakcrest Drive clipped .01 off the track record which was held by Alan Tam’s Dubai winner Elderly Paradise who won the race last year and was attempting to make it back to back wins on Saturday.
The six year old son of Danewin (AUS) was given a nice ride by Wayne Smith and after looking a chance at the two hundred weakened to run fifth beaten four lengths.
It was Alan Tam’s fourth win in the Sand Classic with Series sponsored this year by the Star –River Windsor Arch Group.
PANAMANIAN rider Louis Corrales took riding honors over the weekend with a winner on Friday night’s turf card and three wins on the all weather on Saturday.
Corrales opened his account for the weekend with a win on the highly promising Win Smoothly from the Gary Moore stable in the Class 5 over 1200 metres turf on Friday night.
The three year old son of Court Command made light of his wide gate 14 to cross them easily and lead throughout for an impressive win.
On Saturday Corrales got the cash early winning the first three races on the program with Master Kabiddi from the K C Wong yard kicking off his day in the 0 to 50 Special Conditions Race over 1600 metres.
Brave Rhino a nice looking newcomer by Mossman (AUS) gave Corrales a quick double with an all the way win in the Class 5 over 1350 metres, and also provided trainer Tony Fung with a double over the weekend with the stables Brave Panda (Ruben Silvera) winning on Friday night.
Good Master from the Gary Moore stable completed the weekend for Corrales when he overcame a tough run to win the Class 4 & 5 over 1050 metres.
Moore is predicting a bright future for the son of Testa Rossa (AUS) who has won his only two starts on the sand surface.
“That was a great effort. He’s lost a bit of his early brilliance and had to do it tough from the wide draw but he really found the line strongly.” Moore said.
“He’s not bred to sprint he’s bred to stay so we’ve got a lot of things to look forward to with him in the future.”
FILIPINO horseman Breinell Yamzon had a welcome change of luck over the two days racing with a double for the weekend.
Yamzon produced faultless ride on the K C Chong prepared My Lucky Baby to win the Class 3 over 1200 metres in the turf Friday night and then delivered a fine ride on the Victor Chan trained Har Har Money to win the Class 2 &3 over 1350 metres sand on Saturday.
In a race run at cracking speed Har Har Money hit the front at the two hundred and then fought off all challenges under Yamzon’s persuasion to score and make it win number three at the distance.
