First Hong Kong Winner for Zoustar

Zoustar has been riding the crest of a winning wave in 2018 and added a new string to his bow at Sha Tin on Saturday when siring his first winner in Hong Kong.

Making his debut for the Caspar Fownes stable, three year-old gelding Dancing Fighter was a short priced favourite and showed plenty of pace before kicking on to win the 1200 metre sprint by a neck under Zac Purton.

Dancing Fighter had one trial in Sydney for Chris Waller and finished second before being sent to Hong Kong and he now runs in the colours of Hong Kong celebrity Aaron Kwok, a noted singer, dancer and actor.

A dashing gold hairstyle made Kwok easy to spot despite being swamped by photographers and Fownes was thrilled to score again for an owner he describes as “a gentleman and one of the boys.”

“It’s great for a guy like Aaron to be involved. He has had success with me before but he loves his racing and it’s awesome to see everyone buzzing,” said Fownes, who will go forward quietly with Dancing Fighter next year.

“We’ll let him develop further but he’ll be alright next season.”

A $375,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Kulani Park draft for Aquis/McEvoy Mitchell Racing/Blue Sky Bstock, Dancing Fighter was a successful pinhook for Rhys and Chloe Smith, who bought him for $100,000 at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale from the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft.

Bred by Kia Ora Stud, Dancing Fighter is the fourth winner from Group III winning Danzero mare Permaiscuous.

He is the first Hong Kong winner for Zoustar, whose only other Hong Kong runner is Quadruple Triple, who has placed in five of eight starts and was second in the recent Griffin Trophy.