Money in Good Will; Long live on Potato
INTRODUCTION
VIVA PATACA 爆冷 owned by Dr. Stanley Ho, trained by John Moore.
Total Career raced 60: 17-5-7 with record breaking total earnings of HK$81,777,500.
BACKGROUND
2002-05-07 VIVA PATACA foaled in England,and bred by the Dukes of Devonshire and Roxburghe.
He was out of the mare COMIC and sired by English Group One winner, MARJU.
RECORDS
2003, purchased by Neil Greig – Osborne House for 26,000 guineas at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, the horse was named as “COMIC STRIP”.
Major Wins:
HIGHLIGHTS
Racing Career:
Trained by Sir Mark Prescott at age 2, COMIC STRIP won 5 of his 6 starts. After winning his last start in the October 2004 Silver Tankard Stakes.
He did not run again until the end of July in 2005 when he finished 4th in a Handicap for 3-year-olds at Goodwood Racecourse.
Sold to Macau businessman, Stanley Ho, he was renamed VIVA PATACA for the Macanese pataca, the currency of Macau.
2006-01-01 VIVA PATACA made his Asian racing debut at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on finishing third in the 1400 metre Chang Jiang Handicap.
2006-01-15 Two weeks later, under new jockey Christophe Soumillon, he won the 1600 metre New Asia Road Handicap.
2006-02-19 he won the Chukyo Handicap.
2006-03-26 won his first Group One race when he gave trainer John Moore his second win in the Hong Kong Derby.
2006-05-28 VIVA PATACA came back with a win under jockey Michael Kinane in the Group One Champions & Chater Cup.
2007-04-29 Queen Elizabeth II Cup, Michael Kinane rode VIVA PATACA to a strong win by 1¾ lengths.
2007-06-03 In the much anticipated “Rubber match” between the two in the Champions & Chater Cup, VIVA PATACA defeated VENGEANCE OF RAIN by three lengths while breaking the 2400-metre course record that had stood for thirteen years.
2007-11-11 Hong Kong Cup Trial, he won in ease, successfully outrunning PACKING WINNER and ART TRADER.
2007-12-09 he went straight forward to the Hong Kong Cup, running second behind the winner RAMONTI with a short head distance.
2008-02-24 Hong Kong Gold Cup, he won and later was invited to compete the Dubai Sheema Classic in Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, Dubai, finished in second behind the winner SUN CLASSIQUE.
2008-10-26 He started the 2008/09 season with the Sha Tin Trophy, which had a surprising win that beat GOOD BA BA.
2008-12-14 he went straight forward to the Hong Kong Cup, but only finished fourth.
2008-11-16 he won the Hong Kong Cup Trial again.
2009-02-22, Hong Kong Gold Cup, he won and defended his title.
2009-04-05, he competed the Chairman’s Trophy as a preparation to the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, which he finished in third.
2009-04-26, In the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, he finished in second behind the winner PRESVIS.
2009-05-31 VIVA PATACA finished the season with winning his 3rd Chater Cup title in four years.
SUMMARY
VIVA PATACA become the Horse of the year in 2008/09 1st time in his racing life.
2009-2010 Racing Season
2010-04-04, VIVA PATACA only got a third place though carrying 123 lbs with a strong finsihing in The Chairman’s Prize.
2010-04-25, W C Marwing piloted VIVA PATACA to win the Q E Cup by slow pacing and held up LIZARD’S DESIRE and SUPER SATIN at the last 100 meter.
By that time, VIVA PATACA replacing VENGEANCE OF RAIN as being the highest stakes winner in Hong Kong.
2010-2011 Racing Season
2011-05-01, VIVA PATACA placed 4th in the Gold Cup.
Teamed with Beadman again, he only placed 5th in the Q E Cup.
2011-06-08, VIVA PATACA after placing 3rd in the Chater Cup John Moore suggested to retire the horse by the end of the season.
2011-06-26, VIVA PATACA had a retirement ceremony in Sha Tin Racecourse and got a Life Time Achievement Award.
REFERENCE
1980s, Dr. Stanley Ho also owned another VIVA PATACA by SUGAR APPLE.
That VIVA PATACA scored 6 wins and raced in two Derby, 1980 and 1981 due to the change of rule from 3-y-o to 4-y-o.
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