by Mike Curry

Helene Mascot unleashed his winning bid entering the stretch under jockey Felix Coetzee and fended off game runner-up Jackpot Delight by a neck to win the $2,057,600 Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby on Sunday at Sha Tin racecourse.

Trained by Tony Cruz, who teamed with Coetzee to win the 2004 Hong Kong Derby with Lucky Owners, Helene Mascot opened the season with a win in the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Classic Mile. The Peintre Celebre colt entered off a runner-up finish in the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby Trial on February 17 at Sha Tin.

"We were lucky to buy him last year,” Cruz said of Helene Mascot, an Irish-bred formerly named Salford Mill, who won a stakes a Newmarket last year . “[Former trainer] David Elsworth didn't want to sell, but we stepped in with a bid at the right time, and he settled in here quickly.

"Last time, in the Derby Trial, the pace was too slow and he was too keen and he had a foot problem leading up to the race,” Cruz added. “But everything went well leading up to today, and we were confident.”

Coetzee rated Helene Mascot in sixth in the 2,000-meter (9.94-furlong) race and the bay colt responded when roused approaching the stretch. Jackpot Delight surged ahead to challenge the winner with about 250 meters remaining, but Helene Mascot would not be denied and dug in gamely to prevail in 2:01.30 on turf rated as good.

"He's a terrific horse," Cruz said. "He fights and fights and doesn't know when he's beaten. I said after he won the Classic Mile that he is going to be an international star, and you've just seen the proof of that.”             

Helene Mascot is out of stakes-placed winner Razana, by Kahyasi.

Good Ba Ba upset standout sprinter Sacred Kingdom to win the $578,700 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup.

The 1,400-meter (6.96-furlong) turf race is the final leg of the Champion Sprint Series and featured a showdown of 2007 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile (HK-G1) winner Good Ba Ba and last year’s Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint (HK-G1) winner Sacred Kingdom.

Good Ba Ba got the early jump on Sacred Kingdom, who encountered traffic in the stretch, and held off a late bid from that foe to win by a half-length in 1:21.30 on turf rated as good.

"I wouldn't want to meet Sacred Kingdom again, so I hope he stays in the sprints,” winning trainer Andreas Schutz said. “Good Ba Ba is better over a mile, so to win today against such a great rival is tremendous."

Mike Curry is Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor