IT’S all hunky dory. The Hong Kong connection continues for Adam Duggan.
The skilful Gosford trainer’s latest success with another HK cast-off was at Taree yesterday with an eight-year-old grey gelding who was having only his second start in three and a half years.
All Hunky Dory (Ash Morgan) started $2.60 favorite in the Class 1/Maiden Plate (1609m), and always travelled like a winner.
Morgan had All Hunky Dory away smartly from a wide barrier, trailed the two leaders before hitting the front after straightening and then comfortably held off second favorite Open Pearly Gates ($3.30) to post a maiden victory at his 12th start.
All Hunky Dory, a son of former top Australian sprinter Exceed and Excel, was bred in Ireland and raced in Hong Kong under the name of Speed To Exceed.
He had 10 starts there (six for David Hall and four for Richard Gibson) for one placing (second over 1650m at Happy Valley in April 2021 as a $31 chance) before being “retired” after three more runs; the latest when 10th there over 2200m two months later.
All Hunky Dory found his way to Australia like a number of other horses Duggan has prepared for TCR Racing (Hong Kong’s Derek Tam and Australia’s Peter Coffey), but didn’t initially go into work.
“He was spelling at GT Park at Kulnura when I got Diamond Diesel (whom he has subsequently won eight races with), but didn’t hurry bringing him into the stable,” Duggan explained on Monday morning.
“He was a bit light and I remember looking him at a few times in the ensuing period, and I gave him one brief time in work before turning him out again.
“It was probably five months ago when we put him into work.
“All Hunky Dory didn’t break down in Hong Kong, but these horses don’t have much physique when they haven’t raced for so long, and I had to build him up steadily.
“Fortunately, I’ve got very patient owners.
“All Hunky Dory didn’t show much initially, but began to improve after a jumpout, and again after his first trial (940m at Newcastle on October 22) and even further after his next trial (second at Hawkesbury over 1250m on November 14).
“I was encouraged to take him to the country for his resumption in a 1400m Maiden Plate at Tamworth on December 2, and thought he would be hard to beat.
“Unfortunately we ran into one better (Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald’s Magic Stalker) and were beaten just under one and a half lengths.
“In fairness, All Hunky Dory just levelled out over the last 100m, and Magic Stalker won again at Scone (by more than five lengths) last Wednesday.
“I was pretty confident going to Taree yesterday, and he did the job nicely.”
Duggan says All Hunky Dory has pulled up well, and believes he will manage ever longer distances than the Taree “mile”.
TCR Racing was initially recommended to Duggan by Sydney trainer and now Hong Kong-based Mark Newnham, and it has proved a very successful association.
Duggan estimates he has won close to a total of 20 races with HK cast-offs such as Diamond Diesel (8 wins), Border Control (4), Restrictions (2), Wonder Brahma (2), and A Silvery Warrior (1).
Yet another eight-year-old Peak, who won twice at Newcastle in 2019 and once at Sandown in 2020 for Team Hawkes before going to Hong Kong (where he didn’t race after sustaining a tendon injury), is yet to win in seven starts for his Gosford trainer, though was narrowly beaten in a Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens in March.
He will have his second start this campaign on the Beaumont track on Thursday in a Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1150m), with apprentice Mitch Stapleford aboard.
. HOOFNOTE: Diamond Diesel, with whom Duggan has done a magnificent job winning those eight races (including the Listed Civic Stakes, 1400m at Warwick Farm in June on a heavy track), is having a break.
“Diamond Diesel ran well when seventh to Briasa in the Group 2 The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle in mid-November, but it was time to stop and give him a rest,” Duggan said.
Story John Curtis, December 23, 2024 - Pics Manning Valley Race Club
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