First HK Winner for Star Witness

Leading young sire Star Witness posted his first Hong Kong winner at Sha Tin on Sunday when Dr Listening scored for John Size and Zac Purton.

The promising three year-old was second on debut last month and despite racing greenly showed a good turn of foot to surge home and win over 1200 metres as favourite by half a length.

“He wasn’t as slow away as his debut but he was really reluctant to hold his position through the first half of the race,” Purton said.

“When we came into the straight, there was a tight run on the inside and I just knew he wouldn’t take it and there was more room outside Multimax, but I could feel that not might be ideal either. So I just steered him right to the outside to give him more room.

“Even then, it took him a while to go through his gears, but he finished it off well when he did. It was only a half-length at the finish but I always felt he’d win and with more ground and maturity he could be a nice prospect next season.”

Passed in at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Dr Listening is the second winner from Luvumor, a half-sister to the dam of Group II winner Messene from the family of champion sire Zabeel and dual Group I winner Hallowed Crown.

Dual Group I winner Star Witness is the leading Australian Second Season Sire by winners this season with 40 on the board.

Star Witness stands at a fee of $16,500 this spring.