Telecom Puma made the perfect start to his new season at Happy Valley where the New Zealand Group winner gave weight and a beating to his sprint rivals.
It was a breakthrough success in Hong Kong for the son of Cambridge Stud’s Burgundy.
The five-year-old had finished in the money three times from a handful of starts in his first campaign for trainer Jimmy Ting.
Under 60kg, Telecom Puma was ridden on Wednesday night by Chad Schofield and was coming off a trial success, which was required after he had bucked out of the barrier at his previous appearance in July.
“I think it was because when he got to the gates he lost his tongue-tie and it was put back on a little too tight and maybe he didn’t like it,” Ting said.
“This season, in his trackwork and his trials, he’s been no problem.”
Before his sale to Hong Kong interests, Telecom Puma raced as Hard Merchandize in New Zealand and won the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) at two.
He trained on the following season to claim the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m), accounting for subsequent dual Group One winner Bostonian in the process.
Bred by Chris Grace, Telecom Puma is out of the Encosta de Lago mare Pride And Passion who is a daughter of Gr.1 Golden Slipper Stakes (!200m) winner Calaway Gal.
Other New Zealand bred gallopers to win on the program included Compassion Star (Bullbars) and Clement Legend (Ocean Park).
Clement Legend has done a remarkable job in the past 12 months, coming from a rating of 24 and going on to win six of his next nine starts for Danny Shum.
“It’s amazing, he’s a nice horse,” Shum said.
“He’s honest and he likes Happy Valley. I think he can go again. According to his winning margin and the time, he can win again.”
