Gingerbread Man’s sixth winner this month arrived on Sunday and this time it was the turn of his Hong Kong expat Perfectday in the Siu Ma Shan Hcp (1400m) at Sha Tin.
The best of that half-dozen by the Yarradale Stud stallion is undoubtedly the Wally Daly homebred 2yo Beatty. He won the G3 WATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) on May 2 and is currently spelling in readiness for an eagerly awaited spring campaign with co-trainers Sean and Jake Casey.
Perfectday (4g Gingerbread Man – Sonata by Bahhare) commenced the current Hong Kong season with an awesome last-to-first victory under James McDonald at Happy Valley in December. James Orman has taken over the reins since J-Mac departed and he was upbeat when interviewed by South China Morning Post on Saturday.
“I’m lucky to be able to ride him because he’s a 66-rater with 57kg. That’s my weight and I’m happy to be on him again. He’s drawn nine and that won’t be a worry because he likes a bit of room in his races. He stepped up to 1400m with blinkers last time and they’re on again Sunday. Hopefully he’s finishing off strong.”
That’s how it played out for Perfectday who settled back in the pack behind front-runner The Unique Star (Shalaa) before motoring home out wide with Chill Easy (Night Of Thunder).
The late closers made contact on the yielding ground before Perfectday ran through the line to score by over a length. It was his third wins in nine starts for trainer Chris So and owner Choi Yui Hin who has banked the equivalent of AUD 523,000.
Sold by Einoncliff Park owners Wayne and Jane Beynon (as agent) for $50,000 at the 2023 Perth Magic Millions, he was initially registered as Fastasican and won barrier trials for Adelaide trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly before shipping off-shore.
Perfectday at trackwork with James Orman / Photo: SCMP
Fellow Yarradale sire Shooting To Win weighed in at the Scone Cup Carnival in Friday with Shotgun Bella in the Vinery Stud Country Cup (1400m) for Belsin Thoroughbreds and trainer Nathan Doyle.
Shotgun Bella has won twice at Scone’s White Park and has only been out of a place once in nine starts for Doyle. She’s a half-sister to Gold Coast winner Huri Black (Star Turn) and they were the only foals from widely-travelled mare Blackjack Bella (Casino Prince) who was bred by Steven Smith for wins at Cranbourne, Canterbury and Sunshine Coast.
Second-dam Air She Goes (Air De France) was bred and raced by Smith’s father Arthur Smith and she ran up a sequence of six straight wins in 2000-01 including the LR Triscay Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill and the LR Silk Stocking (1400m) at the Gold Coast in the then track record of 1.20.81s.
