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HKJC.....
Cruz, Prebble hail Bullish Luck as one of the greats
Trainer Tony Cruz could be forgiven for thinking this holiday season resembles the end of an era now that stable stalwart Bullish Luck's retirement from racing coincides with the departure from Hong Kong of Felix Coetzee, his former retained jockey and close friend.
While those involved at the sharp end of Hong Kong racing are not known for their sentimentality, Cruz says he will nevertheless feel a pang of nostalgia when he watches the former Horse of the Year parade one last time at Sha Tin on New Year's Day, the occasion of his tenth birthday.
"It will be strange not having him around since he's been with us for so long - I've had him for six seasons and it's been privilege to train one as good and as genuine as him," said Cruz reflecting on the horse that exits the stage as the second highest moneyspinner in local history at HK$63m.
"He was very sound, never missed any big races and he took us all over the world. He never ran a bad race and gave us so many highlights. The day he beat Silent Witness a short head in the Champions Mile stands out, as does his win in the Yasuda Kinen - he was so impressive that day. Even on his last start in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup he was still very competitive against some of the best horses in the world. We'll miss him but he has earned a long and happy retirement."
Bullish Luck won five Gr.1 races in his career, including two successive Champions Mile (2005, 2006) victories and the Yasuda Kinen (2006) in Japan. He was also a narrow and unlucky runner-up in the 2004 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup and placed third in the Dubai World Cup, the world's richest race, as an eight-year-old in March 2007.
Brett Prebble was in the saddle that night in Nad Al Sheba and described the son of Royal Academy as "easily the best miler I have ridden."
Recalling his Champions Mile and Yasuda Kinen double that sealed Horse of the Year honour in 2006, Prebble said: "He had very rare acceleration, nothing like I've ever experienced on a miler.
In the Champions Mile I got a strong cart into the race there and at the top of the straight I gave him just one click and off he went. It felt like he had the race settled in one stride. But he was even better in Tokyo. I'm honoured to have been part of his story."