New Zealand bred Duke Wai (NZ) (Per Incanto) was only about a length from the winner when finishing a brave fifth in the Gr.1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200) in Dubai on Sunday.
Scoring the upset victory in the straight 1200 was Danyah for jockey Dane O’Neill and local trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri, while roughly a length separated first and fifth position with Duke Wai, representing Hong Kong, closing off a little too late as the home team savoured the win.
“It was a very brave run given that we just had a week to settle in. It was a very good performance and Duke Wai proved that he can do it in the straight,” trainer Pierre Ng said.
“He (Duke Wai) was just a bit unlucky, he didn’t get cover until the very end. If we were more patient, I think we would have got a little bit closer.
“We will see how he recovers when we get him back to Hong Kong as to whether (he goes to the Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize, 1200m). Otherwise, we will just race him very lightly and we’ll come back next year,” Ng said.
Jockey Jerry Chau was pleased with his run “He ran very well. He jumped very well and he put himself a little bit more forward than we expected him to.
“I thought he was a chance at the 500 (metre mark) when I moved him out and let him start rolling. He responded very well and the last 300 (metres) I felt like he stayed one-paced, so I changed my whip to the right (hand) and tried to let him go again, and he responded very well and stayed on well. I was happy with that,” Chau said.
Duke Wai was sold by breeders Waikato Stud at the 2016 Weanling Sale to Hallmark Stud who then sold him at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Sale for $45,000 to Argonaut Racing.
