Silver Jubilee Success for Happy Zero

Top class Australian bred sprinter Happy Zero franked his rating as one of Hong Kong’s best gallopers when staving off a late challenge to land the $HK4.5m G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.

The John Moore trained son of Danzero ran his usual competitive race, looming into contention with a big run for regular partner Darren Beadman and then showing real grit to cling on and beat fast finishing Kiwi Fellowship by a short head.

Winning trainer John Moore thought the Champions Mile, and then perhaps the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot might be the route for the winner who, like the runner up, would probably prefer 1400 metres, described by him as both horses’ “pet distance”.

Winning owner David Boehm, thrilled by “my first Group 1 success which is still sinking in” concurred, adding that: “It’s exciting to think of going to the Golden Jubilee and taking on the best horses in the world. It really shows Hong Kong is on the map internationally.”

Purchased by Moore from the Widden Stud draft at the 2006 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $425,000, Happy Zero has not done much wrong since making a winning debut at Sha Tin on December 20, 2008, his overall record now eight wins from 11 starts.

Happy Zero was the most expensive yearling sired by Danzero to sell in 2006 and is a full brother to another smart Hong Kong galloper in Triumphant Unicorn.

Happy Zero was bred by Mr Leung of Lucky Owners fame and is from the stakes-placed Canny Lad mare Have Love, who was bought for $140,000 at the 2004 Inglis Broodmare Sale when carrying Happy Zero in-utero.

A difficult producer in recent years, Have Love has had only two foals since Happy Zero was born, both by Lucky Owners, and was covered by Danzero last spring.

Happy Zero is the first stakes-winner in the pedigree for three generations, but it does go back to the family of top class performers Cossack Prince and Cossack Warrior, the grand-sire of current leading sire Show a Heart.

Happy Zero joins Inspiration, Musir and Zavite as international Group One winners for Inglis Easter in the past 18 months and was one of five winners for Inglis graduates on the Sha Tin card.

Source: Tara Madgwick, Breedne