Trainer Billy Healey might have something to look forward to when Alligator Blood, the most high profile horse he has trained, returns to action in December on his way to his target assignment on Magic Millions day, but he could only watch from afar as another horse who once was under his care wrote his (new) name up in lights in Hong Kong.
The El Roca gelding raced as Paleontologist for Healey in Queensland, winning narrowly on debut before advancing to Class 1 level where he again dispatched his opposition to make it two wins from two starts.
The New Zealand bred was then on-sold to Hong Kong, where he re-emerged under the new name of Lucky Patch.
Lucky Patch went into the Group 2 Premier Bowl Handicap at Sha Tin on Sunday already having three wins in Hong Kong behind his name, but he reached new heights in the Premier Bowl, not only by winning the Group 2 event, but in the manner in which he achieved victory, showing both superb acceleration to get into a winning position and then stout character in the effort required to preserve his lead … with Zac Purton obviously playing his part in the saddle.
The win puts Lucky Patch in line for a possible shot at HK$24 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint in December.
Trainer Francis Lui said Lucky Patch’s trajectory had always been positive and he was not surprised by his latest success.
“I’m not surprised because last season all the time he had bad draws, but he finished close and the race he won he had a good draw he won by two and a quarter lengths. He’s been improving,” he said.
“I can’t say he still has more improvement, but he can enter the sprint race (Hong Kong Sprint).”
If Lucky Patch does line up in the big sprint in December, it is no certainty that Purton will take the ride. As it is with any top rider, the four-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey will have options to weigh up closer to the time and he is in no rush to make that call.
