Another ‘Brilliant’ Winner for Frankel

[Wandering Eyes]

Simply Brilliant (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was the first of his sire’s representatives to make the races in Hong Kong and had performed creditably, with four wins and five minor placings from 11 runs in the lower grades. The recent winner of a Class 1 over 1600 metres, the 5-year-old was allowed to take his chance with no weight on his back in Wednesday’s G3 January Cup H. at Happy Valley and took advantage of a perfect trip before being involved in some post-race drama.

The well-backed third betting favourite landed in the box seat as market leader and MG1SW Time Warp (GB) (Archipenko) was pressed along to his outside by Northern Superstar (SAf) (Count Dubois {GB}) through demanding sectionals. Alexis Badel went for Simply Brilliant at the top of the lane, popped off the fence to launch his bid, overtook the 133-pound top-weight Time Warp with half a furlong to race and ran home best. He then stumbled a few strides past the line, dislodging Badel, who was banged up, but otherwise not seriously injured. Simply Brilliant emerged unscathed. Citron Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) just outfinished the progressive Insayshable (Ire) (Rajj {Ire}) for second.

“It was perfect,” Badel said. “The horse showed very good speed, he was very fresh and had plenty of energy, so I could have even led. I was happy behind the favourite, but he was very strong today and gave me a very good turn-of-foot. He kept going impressively–he’s still improving.”

Zac Purton was slightly disappointed in the effort from Time Warp, who set an 1800m track record (1:47.61) when last seen at the Valley in June 2017.

“It’s never easy carrying that weight against horses like this but to be frank, I thought he’d give me a bit more,” he said of the chestnut, a latest third in defence of his title in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup Dec. 9.

Pedigree Notes:
Bred by Cheveley Park Stud from 2003 G1 Fillies’ Mile victress Red Bloom, Simply Brilliant (ex Senator) won two of five European starts and was a competitive sixth in the 2017 Brittania H. when trained by Richard Fahey. He becomes the 36th black-type winner and 27th group/graded winner for Frankel, who has now sired GSWs in eight different countries (England, France, Ireland, Japan, Australia, United States, UAE and now HK). Red Bloom is a half-sister to SW Red Gala (GB) (Sinndar {Ire}) and is also dam of a 2-year-old colt by Intello (Ger) a yearling filly by Lethal Force (Ire). She is currently in foal to the stud’s Ulysses (Ire). Third dam Cerise Bouquet was a half-sister to champion and G1SW Ibn Bey (GB) (Mill Reef) as well as G1SW Roseate Tern (GB) (Blakeney {GB}). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

Wednesday, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
JANUARY CUP H.-G3, HK$3,250,000 (£323,928/€359,421/A$576,762/US$414,616) , Sha Tin, 1-9, 3yo/up, 1800mT, 1:48.83, gd.
1–SIMPLY BRILLIANT (GB), 114, g, 5, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Red Bloom (GB) (G1SW-Eng, MGSW & MG1SP-Ire, MGSP-Fr, $762,557), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Red Camellia (GB), by Polar Falcon
3rd Dam: Cerise Bouquet (GB), by Mummy’s Pet (GB)
*1ST STAKES WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Simply Brilliant Syndicate; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd; T-Frankie Lor; J-Alexis Badel; HK$1,852,500. Lifetime Record: 17-7-3-2, HK$8,812,200. *Formerly Senator (GB). Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Citron Spirit (Ire), 113, g, 7, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Citron Presse, by Lemon Drop Kid. (€450,000 HRA ’14 ARQARC). O-Lau Ng Mui Chu; B-Mrs E Bifova; T-Ricky Yiu; $715,000.
3–Insayshable (Ire), 115, g, 5, Rajj (Ire)–Imitation (GB), by Darshaan (GB). O-The Hon & Mrs Kenneth Lau Ip Keung; B-Lisheen Stud; T-John Size; $373,750.
Margins: 3/4, NK, HF. Odds: 21-5, 48-1, 63-10.
Also Ran: Time Warp (GB), Dinozzo (Ire), Southern Legend (Aus), Horse of Fortune (SAf), Gold Mount (GB), Northern Superstar (SAf), Eagle Way (Aus).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO.

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