Prepared by John Size, Beat the Clock had not raced since winning at Sha Tin on
March 5, but was tuned up with a couple of recent trials.Sent out favourite for the 1400 metre Class Two event with Joao Moreira in the saddle, Beat the Clock forged clear to win by a length and a quarter taking his overall record to four wins and four placings from eight starts.
Tardy from the gate, Beat the Clock was able to move forward after that to stalk the leader, but was caught three wide facing the breeze, so his effort to win was a good one.
"He had to do it the tough way today, three-wide and exposed, but he was just too strong," said Joao Moreira.
"He wasn't very fast out of the gate but once he got going he put himself in a very close position.
"I wish I could have had cover to get him a little bit more relaxed but despite that he was very professional, and when I asked him to get going he responded.
"The fact that he's only a three-year-old, that's what makes me even more excited, because it feels like there's plenty more inside him, and, based on that, I'm confident that he's a Group class horse. He's a very nice horse going forward."
Tough, talented and clearly on an upswing, Beat the Clock looks as though a very good career lies ahead of him in Hong Kong.
Beat the Clock was a $200,000 NZB Ready to Run Purchase from the Prima Park draft and was a successful pinhook for them having been originally snapped up for $70,000 from the Yarraman Park draft at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Bred by Jilly Henderson, he is the second winner for Group III placed Lion Hunter mare Flion Fenena.
Beat the Clock is another top prospect for Hinchinbrook, who was in the frame at Doomben on Saturday with his promising three year-old Salsonic taking out the Group II BRC Queensland Guineas.
Hinchinbrook stands at a fee of $44,000 this spring.
