Price celebrates 1,000 HK wins as Museum is in doubt for QEII Cup

Prominent bloodstock agent David Price was proud as punch after celebrating the major milestone of 1,000 Hong Kong wins after He Was Me and Elite Golf struck at Sha Tin on Sunday. Founded in 1997, Price's Price Bloodstock operation has sourced a plethora of outstanding winners such as champion sprinter Silent Witness and fellow Group One victors Contentment, Ivictory and Beauty Eternal. "It's one of those things that's hard to get your head around, really. It's something that went from an out-of-control hobby to something bigger and all of a sudden, 1,000 winners," Price said. "I'm proud of the way it's played out. Long may it continue." The key to Price's success has been finding reasonably priced yearlings at sales in Australia and New Zealand and using experienced trainers to get them up to speed before bringing those who look up to the task to Hong Kong as PPGs, which are previously unraced gallopers. Price paid tribute to fellow bloodstock agents John Foote and Merrick Staunton, Australian trainer Paddy Payne and the Hong Kong trainers who have also been pivotal in his success in the city. "The first year we bought five horses and the cheapest one got here and won, and the dearest one ended up in Tasmania. That was probably a lesson early that that's the way it's going to play out," Price said. "I'm always very appreciative of the job the trainers do because really, I do my little bit and then step aside and watch and hope. We've had a great run with some great horses. "I do a lot of this sitting in a seat coordinating with others and it's turned from a hobby into something special." Brown-lamped in betting from $17 to $8.7 in the Class Five Gascoigne Handicap (1,400m), He Was Me led all the way under Karis Teetan to claim his second win from his past three starts for trainer Tony Cruz. Elite Golf brought up Price's milestone when he continued a promising start to his career, notching his second win at start four in the second section of the Class Four Hart Handicap (1,200m). The Chris So Wai-yin-trained gelding tracked the speed under Harry Bentley and got the better of pacesetter Leading Dragon to salute by half a length. Museum in doubt for QEII Japanese star Museum Mile is highly unlikely to contest the Group One QEII Cup (2,000m) at Sha Tin on April 26. While the Jockey Club has not received confirmation, reports from Japan on Sunday indicated connections of the dual Group One winner have been told he was unlikely to pass a Hong Kong veterinary inspection. "Every horse that comes here has to provide a trot-up video and medical records and then it is viewed by our vets," Jockey Club head of racing product Greg Carpenter said. "We have not ruled the horse out and we haven't received anything official from connections, but obviously people are looking at press reports and they've said that they probably won't travel and will turn the horse out for a break. We'll be following up with the JRA and connections first thing tomorrow." A five-time winner, including the Group One Japanese 2,000 Guineas (2,000m) and Group One Arima Kinen (2,500m) at his past two starts, Museum Mile was set to add another level of star power to a much-anticipated QEII Cup. His withdrawal leaves Masquerade Ball, Giovanni and June Take as Japan's representatives in the HK$30 million feature. Classic Cup (1,800m) winner and Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) third placegetter, Stormy Grove, is also expected to be withdrawn from the QEII. The Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained gelding is third reserve for the Group One Champions Mile on FWD Champions Day and is likely to run in next month's Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m). Mars strikes in Hong Kong debut David Hayes was full of praise for My Mars after the Irish import charged to an exciting triumph in his Hong Kong debut in Sunday's Class Three Parkes Handicap (1,200m). A two-time placegetter from five starts when known as Unbreakable Duke pre-import, the three-year-old defied his quote of $29.9 to deliver jockey Brenton Avdulla his first double since last June. My Mars ran on strongly from midfield to gun down Turquoise Velocity by a short head, with Young Emperor close behind in third. "It was an amazing effort, because he's only the same age as the horses in race one. If he wasn't raced, he'd have been eligible for the [Griffins] race," Hayes said. "Sometimes you get a Class Three that's only a Class Three, but this race was full of potential Class Two and Class One horses. "It was a great ride by Brenton but it really was a superb effort by this young horse. A European horse on first run in Hong Kong, they usually can't do it and when they do, they might be pretty good." Bloodstock agent Michael Morais - who recommended Ka Ying Rising to Hayes when the champion sprinter was trialling in New Zealand - played a part in My Mars' import to Hong Kong. "Michael Morais who sourced the horse was sure he'd be a good Hong Kong PP, and he was right," Hayes said. "He's got the right brain for Hong Kong - he's very calm, he's strong, he eats, and to win in that short time of being in Hong Kong, is an incredible effort." Avdulla also scored on the Douglas Whyte-trained Bling Bling Genius in the Class Five Gillies Handicap (1,600m).