Wednesday, 30 May 2012: The talented stayer Liberator has taken the biggest race victory of his career beating fellow Karaka graduate Ambitious Dragon in the final leg of Hong Kong's Triple Crown, the Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin.
After Hong Kong's Horse of the Year Ambitious Dragon (
Pins) won the first two legs of the Triple Crown - the Stewards' Cup (1600m) and the Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) - it was Liberator who claimed the last leg giving Karaka graduates a clean sweep in the prestigious Triple Crown.
Liberator (
Encosta De Lago) was purchased by the Hong Kong Jockey Club from Gordon Cunningham's Curraghmore Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2009 Karaka Premier Sale for $360,000.
He was then offered at the 2009 Hong Kong International Sale where the son of Encosta de Lago was purchased by Siu Kim Sun Martin for HK$5 million.
"Most of these nice horses are bought from overseas trainers but it's nice to bring one up from scratch. He will have a well-earned rest now and we will aim him at the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase in December," said trainer David Ferraris.
Bred by Caradale Pty Ltd, Liberator is raced by the 06/07 David Ferraris Trainer Syndicate and the four-year-old's record now stands at 23 starts for 5 wins and seven placings for over $1.3 million in stakes.
Ambitious Dragon was looking to become just the second horse to win all three legs of the Triple Crown, a feat accomplished only by River Verdon (Be My Native) in 1994.
Bred by Pat Lowry, Ambitious Dragon was offered by Belvedere Farm at the 2008 Karaka Select Sale and has won 10 of his 20 starts for over NZ$6.3 million in stakes.
New Zealand bred horses and Karaka graduates were to the fore at Sha Tin on Sunday winning five races on the 11-race card.
Scarlett Camellia (Spartacus) continued his impressive start he has made in Hong Kong. Winning his only race last season for trainer Danny Shum, the four-year-old has won three of his six starts this season.
Mega Castle (Brilliance) took his second win of the season for trainer Manfred Man while Isitide (Istidaad) was successful for trainer Andreas Schutz, bringing up his first win in Hong Kong.
The John Size trained Real Specialist (Storming Home) is another that is making his way through the grades. From 10 starts the four-year-old has won five races.
