The Jamie Richards-trained Bulb General crowned his return from serious illness with an impressive breakthrough victory at Sha Tin on Sunday.
The three-year-old son of Embellish had begun his Hong Kong career in encouraging style with a debut third earlier this year before he was sidelined.
“He raced very well in February and the form out of the race was strong and, unfortunately, he did get held up with a little bout of colic after his first run,” trainer Jamie Richards told the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
“He’s made a full recovery, and it looks like he’s got a few rating points up his sleeve. We’ll let the horse do the talking next season and hopefully he can work his way through the grades.”
The three-year-old delivered his first winning strike over 1200m under rider Zac Purton, scoring by two and a half lengths over King Oberon.
Bulb General was bought out of Cambridge Stud’s Book 1 draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $175,000 by Richards and Andrew Williams Bloodstock and was a juvenile trial winner at Te Rapa before relocating to Hong Kong.
He is the first winner for the Fastnet Rock mare Stylish Achiever who has since produced another son, Bellish Boy, and daughter of Embellish and is back in foal to the sire.