The Hong Kong Derby winner, Ping Hai Star started his racing on the Sunshine Coast as Ted winning a couple of races by big margins before being sent to Hong Kong . He is by the Montjeu stallion Nom Du Jeu who stands at New Zealand's Raheen Stud and is out of the Encosta De Lago mare, Vicky. Vicky was owned by Chatswood Park Stud in Victoria. I find it interesting that looking through his pedigree you find two brothers. Sadlers Wells who is the Grandsire of Nom Du Jeu and Fairy King his brother on the side of his dam, Vicky through Encosta De Lago.
In the Derby we saw a great ride by Ryan Moore who settled the gelding, at the tail of the field and then rounding the turn, made his way to the outside and with a strong turn of foot, stormed home to win by two lengths from Singapore Sling. It was a well timed ride and completed a great training performance by John Size.It may not be the richest race on the Hong Kong calendar but it is one of the most prestigious and Ping Hai Star now has legendary status after winning the 127 year old event. A crowd of 67,000 was in attendance to witness, the win. After the race, Ryan Moore said "he is a very strong horse and I had doubted he would get the distance but he is a class horse ".
Ted was passed in as a yearling for 40,000 dollars. He was a cheeky precocious foal that gave his mum, Vicky, a hard time of it, apparently.
Here is a photo of Ted as a foal
It just shows you what a global racing world, this is now. Normally Ryan Moore, the best rider on the European stage would never heard of Ping Hai Star/Ted from the Sunshine Coast, Queensland but after the horse was sent to Hong Kong and then being pointed out to Ryan earlier this year at a Shatin meeting, the two collided. Ryan also said "when I looked up his pedigree and saw Montjeu there , I knew he would stay and when John offered me the ride, I grabbed the opportunity". The next target for the Ping Hai Star will be the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Hong Kong in a few weeks time. His current record now stands at 10 starts for 6 wins and 3 seconds and $586,000 dollars in prize money.
