Monday, 18 June 2012: Karaka graduate Aashiq secured his second stakes victory of the season at Sha Tin on Sunday, beating some of Hong Kong's top performers in the G3 Premier Cup.
Ridden in the feature by former NZ-based jockey Mark Du Plessis, Aashiq (Viking Ruler x Join The Fun) led all the way in the 1400metre contest to win by a length and a quarter.
"He has had his problems with heart irregularities but today was certainly a career highlight for the horse," said his trainer Paul O'Sullivan.
"If he comes in on set weights in a Group 1 he's not going to beat these horses but it was a handicap and they were giving him a lot of weight. He was given his own way in front and he was perfectly ridden by Mark."
Aashiq 
won the HK-3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup over the same course and distance on New Year's Day.
Aashiq was purchased by Lance O'Sullivan from Brighthill Farm at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2007 Carnival Sale for $40,000.
The six-year-old has now won five of his 24 starts, placing in a further seven, for over $940,000 in stakes.
Viking Ruler (Danehill) - sire of G1 winners Red Ruler, Court Ruler, and G2 winner Kroner - was formerly based at Cambridge Stud but now stands at Mornmoot Stud in Victoria.
