Lucky Wan Feng wins the Class 3 Manawatu Racing Club Challenge Trophy Handicap (1200m)
Hong Kong Jockey Club
Trainer Danny Shum produced former New Zealand-trained galloper Lucky Wan Feng to win the Class 3 Manawatu Racing Club Challenge Trophy Handicap (1200m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
Lucky Wan Feng raced as Parallel Universe in New Zealand for trainer Shane Crawford and was a winner of two races in May of last year before his sale. The son of Darci Brahma scored a strong half-length victory as a 3.8 second favourite in the night's feature event.
"He's got plenty of ability, Lucky Wan Feng," Shum said. "He's a talent, that's for sure. You only need to look at his second start when he won at Sha Tin, or his wins in New Zealand or even his trials. If the real horse turned up, he was going to be hard to beat, but there's always a question with Happy Valley first time."
Lucky Wan Feng won a Class 3 over 1200m at Sha Tin in late January, but injured himself in a trial soon after, as Shum recalls: "He hurt his right hind, it wasn't anything major but it was two months before he was able to trial again.
"After his injury, he ran over the 1000m and lost but I didn't mind, he was still progressing. The second start back, he got beaten, but I thought he was still a bit soft so I thought he'd just come on for it. Last start, though, he was very disappointing, so I thought I'd try Happy Valley and a fairly quick return to the races to see if it would sharpen him up."
Shum said much of the credit belonged to Purton, the Australian jockey positioning Lucky Wan Feng on the heels of leader Thor The Greatest before presenting the Darci Brahma four-year-old at the top of the straight.
"Zac gave him a perfect ride for the horse's first time here at Happy Valley," the trainer said. "It was exactly what you'd want."
Lucky Wan Feng raced as Parallel Universe in New Zealand for trainer Shane Crawford and was a winner of two races in May of last year before his sale. The son of Darci Brahma scored a strong half-length victory as a 3.8 second favourite in the night's feature event.
"He's got plenty of ability, Lucky Wan Feng," Shum said. "He's a talent, that's for sure. You only need to look at his second start when he won at Sha Tin, or his wins in New Zealand or even his trials. If the real horse turned up, he was going to be hard to beat, but there's always a question with Happy Valley first time."
Lucky Wan Feng won a Class 3 over 1200m at Sha Tin in late January, but injured himself in a trial soon after, as Shum recalls: "He hurt his right hind, it wasn't anything major but it was two months before he was able to trial again.
"After his injury, he ran over the 1000m and lost but I didn't mind, he was still progressing. The second start back, he got beaten, but I thought he was still a bit soft so I thought he'd just come on for it. Last start, though, he was very disappointing, so I thought I'd try Happy Valley and a fairly quick return to the races to see if it would sharpen him up."
Shum said much of the credit belonged to Purton, the Australian jockey positioning Lucky Wan Feng on the heels of leader Thor The Greatest before presenting the Darci Brahma four-year-old at the top of the straight.
"Zac gave him a perfect ride for the horse's first time here at Happy Valley," the trainer said. "It was exactly what you'd want."