http://www.hkjc.com/english/news/news_2008123020834.htm
Farewell for Bullish Luck on New Year's Day meeting
30 December 2008
The Hong Kong Jockey Club will stage a farewell ceremony for Bullish Luck during the Sha Tin race meeting on the New Year's Day (Thursday, 1 January) - the day when he reaches the age of 10. It will offer racegoers a final chance to give their thanks and best wishes to this 2005/06 Horse of the Year, who ran his last race of a glittering career for a highly creditable fifth in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup.
The Club will present a framed commemorative photo collection on the horse's major victories, to Bullish Luck's Owner Mr Wong Wing Keung, in the Sha Tin Parade Ring after Race 4 on 1 January.
As a Private Purchase (PP) import from Great Britain, Bullish Luck followed in the footsteps of Fairy King Prawn by becoming the second Hong Kong-based racehorse to win Japan's top mile event, the Yasuda Kinen, in June 2006.
It was this overseas success, along with his convincing victory in the HK Group 1 Champions Mile a month earlier, which earned him the title of Horse of the Year in 2005/06. While Bullish Luck is still the only horse to date to win the US$1 million bonus in the Asian Mile Challenge, he is also the second highest all-time earner locally, amassing a total career purse of HK$63,045,680.
In total Bullish Luck won five times at Group One level in his career, including a famous victory in the 2005 Champions Mile when he ended the 17-race undefeated winning streak of the legendary Silent Witness. He also ran third in the 2007 Dubai World Cup, the world's richest race. This was his first and only career start on dirt and it remains the only place finish for a Hong Kong-based runner in this race. He was also ranked 7th at an international rating of 120 (Mile) in the 2005/06 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, in August 2006.
Mr William A Nader, the Club's Executive Director of Racing, praised the achievements attained by this Tony Cruz-trained globetrotter over the years.
"Bullish Luck was one of the most competitive horses I have ever seen. To compete favourably against top class horses at his advanced age was absolutely remarkable and his lifetime record speaks for itself. I would like to congratulate his trainer Tony Cruz and owner Wong Wing Keung for campaigning a horse that produced some of the greatest memories in Hong Kong racing history," Mr Nader said.
This respectful gelding by Royal Academy will soon be leaving for Australia for his well-deserved retirement.
"It will be strange not having him around since he's been with us for so long - I've had him for over years and it's been a privilege to train one as good and as genuine as him," said Tony Cruz.
"He took us all over the world and 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 Cup, just a couple weeks short of his tenth birthday, 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."