LONGINES HONG KONG SPRINT (GROUP 1)

AS AEROVELOCITY joined the world’s elite sprinters Paul O’Sullivan couldn’t help but shake his head as he recalled how little interest there was in 2012 when he imported the horse from New Zealand.

“I must have approached eight to 10 different guys but nobody was bothered,” the Kiwi trainer said as he clutched the Hong Kong Sprint trophy.

“The stable wasn’t having a great run at the time but I always believed he would be a good horse, so after he qualified to come here his owner Daniel Yeung came on board and I think he’s pretty happy he did now.”

Aerovelocity made every inch of the running last Sunday and kept Peniaphobia, a three-year-old Irish-bred and formerly trained by Richard Fahey, at bay by a neck.

In a race where it paid to be close to the speed, Straight Girl ran on well to take third, half a length in front of Gordon Lord Byron, remarkably fourth at this meeting for a third consecutive year.

“He was left a bit flat-footed at the bend when they quickened but he kept coming,” jockey Wayne Lordan said.

The other Irish raider Sole Power settled around midfield for Richard Hughes but could not get much closer in the run the line and finished ninth. “He was never going,” Hughes grimaced.

Rewind the clock exactly one year and Aerovelocity was winning at the supporting card of this meeting, one of five consecutive victories last term that culminated in an award as Most Improved Horse.

Further progress has sprung forth this season and having struck so much traffic on Aerovelocity in the key prep race in November, jockey Zac Purton was reluctant to take any chances on the tactically versatile six-year-old.

“He broke so well that I thought we might as well go on with it. I’ve led on him previously, so I felt it was the right thing to do.

“At the furlong marker he wanted to hang in badly and get onto the fence. It is a trait of his but it was more obvious today and it was a bit close for comfort at the finish.”

Purton was effusive in his praise of how O’Sullivan had transformed the fortunes of Aerovelocity, adding: “Not every trainer would have had the patience to cope with this horse. He is very headstrong and he’s hurt a few people in the mornings, but Paul believed in him and gave him plenty of time. He’s still a bit of a headcase but you have to make exceptions for very talented horses.”

Typically, O’Sullivan deflected the compliment and attributed the turnaround in form to the application of blinkers.

He said: “Since we put the shades on him at the start of last season he has really grown a leg in them and won seven of his 10 races. Zac has been with him every step of the way, too; he gets on with him very well.”

Looking ahead, O’Sullivan will pick and choose his targets and he seemed unwilling to target the next Group 1 sprint on the local programme.

“That race is down the straight five furlongs and I’m not sure how he’d handle that. We’ll look at the Chairman’s Sprint Prize at this course and distance in February.

“Travelling overseas is perhaps an option but we’d have to make sure he travels on his own. He doesn’t like other horses very much,” he continued.

“We’ll see but we’ll just enjoy the moment for now. It’s a while since the stable has won a Group 1. Hong Kong is a funny place. When things are going bad you’re really at the bottom and the phone doesn’t ring so much. But you get one good horse and it can really turn things for you.

“Hopefully this can start a bit of a stampede back into the yard.”