HK Sprint Star for Sebring

 In 2016

Leading Australian sire Sebring posted an impressive Hong Kong stakes-winner on Sunday at Sha Tin when the Premier Bowl HK Gr 2 was captured by exciting four year-old Lucky Bubbles, a $90,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Three Bridges Thoroughbreds draft.

A Breednet ‘One to Watch’ when he bolted in at Wyong at his second start in August 2014, Lucky Bubbles was subsequently sold to Hong Kong where he is fulfilling his potential.

Previously trained by Bjorn Baker and now with Francis Lui in Hong Kong, Lucky Bubbles was last seen finishing second to Chautauqua in the Group I Chairmans Sprint Prize on May 1.

Readied for his return with two recent barrier trials, Lucky Bubbles produced a blistering finish for Brett Prebble to surge home and win the 1200 metre sprint by a neck.

“It was impressive,” jockey Brett Prebble said after he recorded the race’s second fastest finishing sectional of 22.19 seconds for his last 400m.

“It was no surprise, though. I rode him to produce like that, and didn’t he produce? That was exactly what we hoped to see.

“He had them covered, though. He put them away a long way out.

“When he got there, he only does what he has to do and if anything, he blew out at the 100 metres. He had to dig a little bit and find, and that he did.”

Trainer Francis Lui confirmed the horse would follow the traditional path to the HK$18.5 million HK International Sprint on 11 December, heading next to the G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) on 20 November.

“He definitely will,” Lui said. “He will run in the trial next month and then he will take on the world again in December.”

The win stamped Lucky Bubbles as the best sprinter in Hong Kong, the field including past superstars Aerovelocity and Peniaphobia, both winners of the HK International Sprint.

“It was a relief to see him winning this race,” he said. “There was a bit of pressure before the race, everyone expected him to run well fresh, but the horse has lived up to our expectations and has proven that he’s up to the best in Hong Kong.”

“Brett said he expected a good pace and he was worried, if we went forward in the early stages, we might be forced to race wide. So I told him to take hold after the start and just be patient. He did just that.

“He just keeps improving though, race by race he’s better and better. He’s a very nice sprinter.”

Lucky Bubbles was bred by Gilgai Farm and consigned for sale on their behalf by Three Bridges.

Boasting the impressive record of seven wins from 14 starts, he is the first foal of stakes-placed Bubble Below, a half-sister by Hussonet (USA) to stakes-winner Lunaspur and three-quarter sister-in-blood to Group II winner Colorado Claire.

Bubble Below was bought by Victorian based Musk Creek Farm at the 2013 Inglis Broodmare Sale for $145,000 and her two year-old filly by Stratum sold for $400,000 at Inglis Easter earlier this year to the bid of Woppitt Bloodstock / Mulcaster Bloodstock.