Pierro's HK Derby Winner Strikes Top Form

Classy stayer Furore (6g Pierro x Stormy choice, by Redoute's Choice) won the 2019 Hong Kong Derby and burst back to top form to win the Group III Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse (1800m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Trained by Tony Cruz and ridden by Joao Moreira, Furore settled back in the field and passed the post a length and a quarter ahead of stablemate and reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Exultant, in a swift time of 1m 45.91s.

“I actually had in mind that we were going to be a little bit closer in the field thinking that there wasn’t much pace in the race but he didn’t jump very well so we found ourselves a little bit further back,” Moreira explained.

“Halfway through I started to not worry about that anymore though as he started to travel very comfortably, slowly coming closer into the race and I could feel from there on that he was going to be very hard to beat.

“We know he is a good horse and it was just a matter of time until he won another feature race, he’s a nice horse and there is more to come with him.”

Bought for $210,000 at the 2016 NZB Premier Sale from the Haunui Farm draft by Australian Bloodstock/ Lees Racing, Furore began his career in Australia for the Kris Lees stable, where he won four of his six starts and was third in the Group I ATC Rosehill Guineas (2000m).

Furore now has the overall record of seven wins and six placings from 24 starts.

Bred by Jonathan Munz’s GSA Bloodstock, Furore is a half-brother to Hong Kong Group III winner Blizzard and is from Stormy Choice, a three-quarter-sister by Redoute’s Choice to Group I winner Danestorm.

Stormy Choice was covered again by Pierro last spring.