Hong Kong DebutWest Australian Racing

motivated

Will be interesting to see how lightly raced former Perth galloper Hard Ball Get goes in his debut in HK today. On 5:45pm WA time.

Indy

Yeah it's a nice horse, currently $26 ... Worth a nibble I reckon.

RIO

Indy said:

Yeah it's a nice horse, currently $26 ... Worth a nibble I reckon.

i need to change my accounts..........ozbet 5.60!!!

raconteur

will find this a lot tougher than beating a field of 4 with 2 stablemates

Jordan

Looks like that was a good sale

AndrewCarter

Didn't see the race but it was a pretty hot field, certainly far better than anything it has encountered previously  The winner is pretty smart and the field also included former talented Australian horses Stralia and Crystal Web both have since changed names and a former listed winner in Ireland as well as Ockham's Razor and few other expats.

Darkhorse

An interesting observation from our friends in Hong Kong, it is hard not to agree with them at the moment.

OVERSEAS INFO:

As previously a Simon Miller trainee, HARD BALL GET, through a 3-1-0 run from 4 official starts in Australia, 

Broke his maiden in two-year-old handicap class while going 1200 meters on July 7, 2012, 
Scored again at 1300 meter – this time still against two-year-old handicap class – on July 21, 2012, and
Improved to 3-and-0 in his first start as a three-year-old while stepping up against Group III company over 1400 meters. That being said, second through fourth-placed finishers coming out of that same contest have yet to score again through an aggregate of 15 extra starts.

COMMENTS AND PROSPECT:

HARD BALL GET is sired by AUSSIE RULES, the 2006 French 2000 Guineas (FR-GI) winner who found further success late that same season across the Pond by prevailing in the Shadwell Turf Mile (US-GIT) at Keeneland, both Group / Grade I victories of whom are at a mile. While getting stamped of a grey coat from CARO, AUSSIE RULES has thrown quite a number of runners that can stay - his top performer in Hong Kong, WILLIE CAZALS, for instance, ran a brilliant second last season in the Hong Kong Champions and Chater Cup (HKG-GI). 

With such a legacy of STAR KINGDOM from underneath, HARD BALL GET is out of a maternal family that produces many a speedster that handles firm turf with excellence. Checking in town as a previous Group III winner from Western Australia, a racing jurisdiction that, nevertheless, is not recognized of significant class or depth, the prospect for HARD BALL GET is just initially positive off a Class 2 head-start.

RIO

Darkhorse said:

An interesting observation from our friends in Hong Kong, it is hard not to agree with them at the moment.

OVERSEAS INFO:

As previously a Simon Miller trainee, HARD BALL GET, through a 3-1-0 run from 4 official starts in Australia, 

Broke his maiden in two-year-old handicap class while going 1200 meters on July 7, 2012, 
Scored again at 1300 meter – this time still against two-year-old handicap class – on July 21, 2012, and
Improved to 3-and-0 in his first start as a three-year-old while stepping up against Group III company over 1400 meters. That being said, second through fourth-placed finishers coming out of that same contest have yet to score again through an aggregate of 15 extra starts.

COMMENTS AND PROSPECT:

HARD BALL GET is sired by AUSSIE RULES, the 2006 French 2000 Guineas (FR-GI) winner who found further success late that same season across the Pond by prevailing in the Shadwell Turf Mile (US-GIT) at Keeneland, both Group / Grade I victories of whom are at a mile. While getting stamped of a grey coat from CARO, AUSSIE RULES has thrown quite a number of runners that can stay - his top performer in Hong Kong, WILLIE CAZALS, for instance, ran a brilliant second last season in the Hong Kong Champions and Chater Cup (HKG-GI). 

With such a legacy of STAR KINGDOM from underneath, HARD BALL GET is out of a maternal family that produces many a speedster that handles firm turf with excellence. Checking in town as a previous Group III winner from Western Australia, a racing jurisdiction that, nevertheless, is not recognized of significant class or depth, the prospect for HARD BALL GET is just initially positive off a Class 2 head-start.

=)) =)) =)) this should be on the breeders thread so those champions that keep our industry going with high quality stallions can read this...

darkshines

Think if you dig up old thread, unanimous at the time that Perth owners cleaned up. Brilliant price for just a fair animal.

IntoIt

Ouch! Cue breeders/bloodstock agents for comment. Tough gig being a commercial breeder, they do try hard but what can you do when our sales average is so low....did you know the connections who sold bought the full brother.

RIO

yeah into it, it was a bit curt, but it was more to do with the statement.....Western Australia, a racing jurisdiction that, nevertheless, is not recognized of significant class or depth....

Which is as much about the owners willingness to pay for better bred animals. RWWA providing rewards and infrastructure for better quality livestock; as it is about the breeders. But it is a little reality check on others opinions - right or wrong - on our local industry.. Not that it'd surprise too many of us, but always a shock when you see it in print.

DamienWyer

Those statements would be proven wrong about every 5 or 7 years, but it takes that long for WA to throw up a competitive horse in other arena's. I wouldn't have thought this would be coming as a surprise to most people.

I noticed a Gr 1 over the weekend for $400,000 or $500,000, it just goes to prove the point that throwing money at it doesn't make it better racing. Something that Perth Racing seems to have convinced RWWA of. but in my opinion at the cost of the Industry that would appreciate a broader use of our stake money pool.

TheDiva

http://racing.hkjc.com/racing/video/play.asp?type=replay-full&date=20131006&no=10&lang=eng

Dale

Darkhorse said:

An interesting observation from our friends in Hong Kong, it is hard not to agree with them at the moment.

OVERSEAS INFO:

As previously a Simon Miller trainee, HARD BALL GET, through a 3-1-0 run from 4 official starts in Australia, 

Broke his maiden in two-year-old handicap class while going 1200 meters on July 7, 2012, 
Scored again at 1300 meter – this time still against two-year-old handicap class – on July 21, 2012, and
Improved to 3-and-0 in his first start as a three-year-old while stepping up against Group III company over 1400 meters. That being said, second through fourth-placed finishers coming out of that same contest have yet to score again through an aggregate of 15 extra starts.

COMMENTS AND PROSPECT:

HARD BALL GET is sired by AUSSIE RULES, the 2006 French 2000 Guineas (FR-GI) winner who found further success late that same season across the Pond by prevailing in the Shadwell Turf Mile (US-GIT) at Keeneland, both Group / Grade I victories of whom are at a mile. While getting stamped of a grey coat from CARO, AUSSIE RULES has thrown quite a number of runners that can stay - his top performer in Hong Kong, WILLIE CAZALS, for instance, ran a brilliant second last season in the Hong Kong Champions and Chater Cup (HKG-GI). 

With such a legacy of STAR KINGDOM from underneath, HARD BALL GET is out of a maternal family that produces many a speedster that handles firm turf with excellence. Checking in town as a previous Group III winner from Western Australia, a racing jurisdiction that, nevertheless, is not recognized of significant class or depth, the prospect for HARD BALL GET is just initially positive off a Class 2 head-start.

Absolute GOLD

Gilgamesh

Damien Wyer said:

Those statements would be proven wrong about every 5 or 7 years, but it takes that long for WA to throw up a competitive horse in other arena's. I wouldn't have thought this would be coming as a surprise to most people.

I noticed a Gr 1 over the weekend for $400,000 or $500,000, it just goes to prove the point that throwing money at it doesn't make it better racing. Something that Perth Racing seems to have convinced RWWA of. but in my opinion at the cost of the Industry that would appreciate a broader use of our stake money pool.

Im in the uk at the moment, popped in to one of there betting shops friday to watch a bit of racing while the mrs shopped, comentator quote in an excited voice "the next at ascot is a listed race worth ALMOST 21000 pound"! Fine line between throwing money at it and having no money for it at all. You'd have to say a listed race at Ascot Uk would smash a listed race it good old Perth Ascot but you want to actually race for something.

raconteur

Western Australia, a racing jurisdiction that, nevertheless, is not recognized of significant class or depth....

it is a fair comment under the present circumstances,  we are not Recognised for class and depth - but we still produce some national champions - unfortunately the second tier does not support a contrary argument.

HK is entitled to look skeptically at WA when Hard Ball Get goes there as a Group winner - when in fact it won a race against stablemates and in a 1400 metre time which was ultra slow - recent winners of that race went more than 3 1/2 seconds quicker !  

it is a shame that this state and its bloodstock are and will be judged on this horse which as JORDAN put it - " looks like that was a good sale."

AndrewCarter

Why is it a shame??? Horses may be more realistically priced in the future, they got massive overs for a nice horse but certainly no star. Also I haven't seen the race yet but that as I said earlier was a hot field,once he gets into the right class, if he acclimatises properly, he should pay his way. He's hardly a total mutant but that as I said previously was a very hot race.

raconteur

The "shame" does not relate to comment of Hard Ball Gets ability or price or future chances - the 'shame' relates to the fact that in assessing its form for this race, the scribe chose to 'labelled' WA in the manner that he did. 

The performance was average at best - and yes he may well "pay his way' given the fact that he will be dropped in the ratings more quickly that if say in WA and also has the option of becoming ambidextrous if he takes to the all weather track.

 

RIO

i watched the race and he was struggling to tag on all the way, just didn't have the speed to go with them and when he finally tagged on to the back of the pack...they all sprinted to the line!!!!

First run in so you'd be a really harsh critic to judge him on that alone, but you'd have to hope for some good improvement in his next run..My opinion is they got a very good price, and i hope the full brother does as well for the connections...

Tesseract

class 2 in HK is a group 1 in perth..

Darkhorse

On review of the race, HBG has earned a handicappers rating of 86 points, which puts him well above many HK gallopers.

I suggest he will be better suited in a lower quality race.

His rum wasnt that bad, it was the opposition were just too good.

LuckyLongshots

Starofken was also a perfect example of a 'good sale'

It may have won or placed up there, but not sure it ever got close to re-couping it's purchase price!