Dougie Whyte will unveil the first of American Pharoah’s progeny to race in Hong Kong today when he takes the wraps off former Aidan O’Brien trainee Congratulation in the Class 1 Chinese New Year Cup Handicap to be run over 1400m.
The four-year-old bay – sired by the 2015 American Triple Crown winner – was previously known as Monarch Of Egypt when under the care of O’Brien and prior to export finished runner-up to Siskin in the 2019 Gr1 Phoenix Stakes (1200m) at The Curragh. He also competed at the top-level against that year’s European champion two-year-old Pinatubo two starts later.
Dougie Whyte – looking to add to his 15 winner tally this season (Pic – HKJC)
But while facing a seemingly daunting debut assignment at Sha Tin, where his charge will face a trio of 100-plus raters, Whyte remains hopeful a combination of three trials and a resume featuring top-class northern hemisphere form holds him in good stead.
“I’m going in hopeful that he’ll run well, the way that he has progressively increased his competitiveness at the trials shows to me that he’s at the right frame both mentally and physically to run a race – it’s a small field, it’s a competitive field but he’s got the quality behind him,” Whyte said.
The 89-rater arrived in Hong Kong from Ireland last November and now sports the familiar red, white and pink silks of Leung Lun Ping.
“He’s settled in well and he’s a lovely horse – he’s obviously thrown in the deep end for his first run but having said that he’s had a very good grounding with three trials leading in to this and he’s progressively improved with every trial,” Whyte said.
Since his debut victory at Naas in April, 2019, the American-bred galloper has raced a further seven times for three runner-up efforts in both Ireland and Great Britain.
“He’s taken time to adjust – he’s been running on tracks with a bit of give in them and he’s hit the tracks here and it’s just taken time for him to adjust to the firmer tracks which he has done now,” Whyte said.
Whyte is looking to secure his first win in Sunday’s Class 1 feature as a trainer after triumphing in the race four times across his glittering career in the saddle, most recently in 2012 aboard the brilliant Glorious Days, who famously won the 2013 G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile first-up from a six-month spell with Whyte in the plate.
“He’s on the right track – I have no doubt that he is going to show his true ability going forward and it’s his first run but he has a lovely galloping weight – he’s certainly in there with a chance,” Whyte said.
