Westbury Stud’s El Roca has a serious sprinter in Hong Kong in the shape of Lucky Patch, who captured the Group II Bochk Private Bank. Jc Sprint (1200m) over Aussie bred speedsters Naboo Attack (Warhead) and Sky Field ( Deep Field).
A $40,000 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale purchase for GPI Rcg/Healey Racing/Andrew Williams Bstock from the Westbury Stud draft, the Kiwi bred started his career with two wins in Brisbane in January 2020 before being sold to Hong Kong.
Trained by Francis Lui, Lucky Patch won the Group II Premier Bowl at his previous start on October 17 and was freshened for this assignment.
Drawn the outside in the field of 10, Lucky Patch surged to the front from back in the filed under Jerry Chau to score a three-quarter length win in a slick 1:07.98 taking his overall record to seven wins and six placings from 17 starts.
Lucky Patch has emerged as a legitimate G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) contender with the ride to be offered to Zac Purton.
“Honestly, I couldn’t say I was confident when I looked at the draw because I was concerned with the draw but he (Chau) rode him very well. I told him to study how Zac rode him last start. The pace was good and the horse has improved,” Lui said.
“Jerry did a great job and the horse is going very well.”
Lucky Patch is the third stakes-winner for Westbury Stud’s El Roca and is the best of six winners from Gould, a three-quarter sister by Danehill Dancer to stakes-winner Spitz.
Another successful sire son of Fastnet Rock, El Roca stands at a fee of $8,000.
