Bullish Luck triumps Yasuda for Hong Kong

Bullish Luck(USA), in the return of Tokyo Racecourse, gave a brilliant performance in winning the Yasuda Kinen by a commanding 2 1/2-length for Hong Kong Sunday afternoon.

Jockey Brett Prebble asked Bullish Luck for a final effort at around 400 meters out. When he did so, the gelding took off from the pack. That made the rivals to stand up.

“My horse almost broke well from a good ballot. We did not have to go back to the last bunch. We started on the middle and we spent no picture early. He gave me an explosive rally when I asked him. He actually gave it to me too quickly. So, he’s done no work this time and he saved all the ground on inside.”, said the Australian-born jockey in the TV interview. “He looked very strong and he covered no ground. I was one of the fences, so I didn’t have to go around very many horses and we saved the finish for like a 400-meter press. When I pressed, he went very quickly like a Ferrari.”

Asakusa Den’en deprived another Hong-Kong based Joyful Winner(AUS) of second place in a final stride. A nose separated the two. Daiwa Major followed in fourth with Dance in the Mood fifth. Disappointment for the 1,600-meter g1 race was favorite Orewa Matteruze, finishing 10th in the field of 10.

Trainer Anthony Cruz has now won his second g1 race at JRA following the Sprinters Stakes victory of last year with Silent Witness.