The Manfred Man-trained Patch Of Stars looks one of the more progressive gallopers going through his grades after three successive Sha Tin victories over the past few months.
The three-year-old son of All Too Hard is a graduate of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale where he was purchased for NZ$800,000.
A winner over 1400m on FWD Champions Day, Patch Of Stars was also an effortless winner in mid-May over the same distance under Zac Purton despite still learning his craft.
Stepped up to Class 3 company on Saturday, Patch Of Stars again won with plenty in hand when taking the Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships Handicap (1400m) under Zac Purton.
The winning jockey said that although the race had set-up nicely for Patch Of Stars, who drew well and then settled behind a solid tempo, the horse should improve over time and with more racing.
“He is a little bit quirky, he doesn’t quite know what he is doing, he gets a bit hot and agitated and latches on a bit in the run sometimes and wants to hang in and get out,” Purton said.
“That is fine, he is just learning, but the fact that he is as raw as he is but is still doing what he is doing is a pretty good sign.”
Patch Of Stars is raced by Mr Yeung Kin Man, who has been the leading purchaser at the past two NZB Ready To Run Sales, with four-win three-year-old Patch Of Cosmo also sourced at the same sale.
A graduate of Riversley Park’s draft, Patch Of Stars ran a slick 10.34 seconds in his breeze up.
The Ready To Run Sale, which has a host of star graduates, headed by Golden Sixty, will be conducted on November 13 and 14 at Karaka this year.