Perfect start for talented Kiwi import

[Wandering Eyes]

A promising three-year-old sourced from Taranaki in New Zealand has made a flawless start to his racing career in Hong Kong.

Super Joy N Fun (NZ) (What’s The Story) made his Hong Kong debut over 1200m at Happy Valley on February 7, winning by a head. His next start came over the same course and distance three weeks later, when dominating from the front and winning by three-quarters of a length.

The gelding is trained by Benno Yung and has quickly banked more than HK$1.3 million for owners Johnny Wong Chun Nam, Nancy Wong, Maizie Wong and Wong Chi Poh.

Super Joy N Fun was bred by Westend Partnership and is by the Savabeel stallion What’s The Story, who finished second in the New Zealand Derby in an injury-shortened racetrack career. What’s The Story stands at Norwegian Park for a service fee of just NZ$4,000, and Super Joy N Fun is among his five winners from only 13 runners so far in his stud career.

Originally named Buyback, Super Joy N Fun had his early education in the New Plymouth stable of Debbie Harris, for whom he won a trial in July of 2023. His initial ownership group included Peter Mack, a Hawera businessman and former president of the local Egmont Racing Club.

“I’ve had a few horses in the past for Chris Thompson, Mike Swift and Peter Mack, who owned his dam Citycenta and leased her out,” Harris said. “They bought this horse for $8,000 at the weanling sale and named him Buyback and sent him to me to train.

“I broke him in and did all of the early education with him. I’d always thought he was quite an impressive type. He showed a fair bit of ability in his very first gallop, and then from there he just continued to improve with every gallop, jumpout and trial that he had from that point on.

“It’s pretty exciting to see what he’s gone on to do. He’s off to a great start in Hong Kong and has won both of those races impressively.

“Of course it was a bit of a shame to lose him from the stable, but that’s just how it goes – anything with ability usually ends up going overseas. But you can be proud of the work that you do with these horses along the way and get a lot of enjoyment from their success further down the track.”

Harris has held a training licence for a decade, and during that time she has been credited with 13 winners from only 80 runners.

“I never have a big team, but I’ve been lucky enough to have a few nice ones,” she said. “I think I’ve got a handful of quite nice two-year-olds coming through that are just starting to have their first run along now. Hopefully there’s some good prospects among them. I’m looking forward to seeing how they go.”

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