3 minute read

Wonder Mossman stamped himself as one of the greats of Macau racing when he bounced back to form with a brilliant victory at Taipa on June 1.

His win in Friday night’s Class 1 & 2 over 1500 metres on the turf gave him win number 18 in the enclave.

The rising 10-year-old has been written off numerous times but continues to shrug off retirement.

Wonder Mossman in his heyday captured the hearts of racegoers with his tearaway leading tactics when he would often lead by up to 10 lengths and simply crush the hearts of his rivals as he stayed on relentlessly to the wire.

Nowadays the dazzling speed away from the gates is not there, his old legs ain’t what they used to be but his heart and will to win are still intact.

A patient ride by CF (Charlie) Chan saw the old marvel come from a midfield position to burst to the front at the 200m for an easy win in 1.26.7 for the distance.

Wonder Mossman is a son of Mossman from the Danehill mare Eighth Wonder who is a daughter of the 1998 Melbourne Cup winner Jezabeel.

Trained by KC Chong Wonder Mossman has raced on 64 occasions in Macau for 18 wins, eight seconds and four thirds for $8 million HKD in prize money.

His majors wins include three straight G1 Macau Gold Cups in 2014, 2015, and 2016 and G1 Star of The Sand Stakes (2014). Add to that his five G2 victories including two Directors Cups in 2013 and 2015.

The bay gelding was originally bred and raced in Australia by Gerry Harvey where he raced as Racing Eight and won a 3YO maiden at Warwick Farm from his six runs when prepared by David Payne.

The bay still holds the Taipa 1500m track record of 1.24.9 that he set in his prime in 2014. He also still holds the turf record for 1400m at 1.19.7 and at one stage held the 1700m record on the sand in 1.44.2.

Disappointments in Fridays race were the $1.7 race favorite Obrigado Mais (Wayne Smith) who struggled to run fifth beaten over five lengths and the well supported River Control (Peter Ho) who jogged in the run but found nothing

Wonder Mossman’s connections were again in the winner’s circle in the final event on Friday when their handy galloper Wonder Holy, an Irish import, won the Class 3 & 4 over 1500m thanks to a patient ride from Oscar Chavez.

Capital Protector made it win number four in Macau when he destroyed his rivals in the Class 2 & 3 over 1200m under regular rider Wayne Smith.

Prepared by Sio Cheong, the son of Foreplay showed brilliant speed to lead easily before bounding away for the easiest of victories from Northern Legend (Charlie Chan), with One Belt One Road (Frankie Choi) a nose away in third.

The win was pretty much a replay of his previous victory when he showed dazzling speed from the outside barrier of 12 to win over the same distance on May 19 in comparable time to the G3 Macau Sprint Trophy.

It’s taken a while but Highspot finally broke his maiden status at start number 33 with a late burst under jockey Peter Ho to grab victory in the Class 6 over 1200 metres.

Prepared by Geoff Allendorf, the son of Manhattan Rain just edged out race favorite Techfaith Warrior (Wayne Smith) by a head with Bellomaster (Oscar Chavez) close up in third.

Whilst his maiden win has been a long while coming, the gelding has managed to place on 12 occasions making the quinella spot on eight of those, and along the way the way picked up close to $HK600,000 in prize money, a feat not many maiden gallopers could boast.