COURIER WONDER & DROPS OF GOD

23 May 2021

Rising star, Courier Wonder took off for his summer break in style after landing his first stakes race in the Sha Tin Vase on Sunday but he wasn’t the only highlight for Price Bloodstock clients after a winning double.

Courier Wonder was widely expected to take his record to five wins from five starts and didn’t let anyone down but there was also the debut performance of Drops Of God to get excited about.

Both in the care of champion trainer John Size, both three-year-olds ridden by Joao Moreira and both looking at big futures, the two sprinters scored within thirty minutes of each other.

Drops Of God was making his first racetrack appearance but his talent had been well displayed at the barrier trials and he was sent out an odds-on favourite and Moreira left nothing to chance, going straight to the lead and scoring with ease.

“He had given everyone a good impression and he looks like the sprinter that people expected to see. He’s well-behaved and even on his first day at the races he seems to do everything right,” Size said of Drops Of God. “He was forced to lead and still looked like an experienced horse when he straightened up, which is pleasing. He should be able to win a few races fairly quickly.”

But the headline act was Courier Wonder in the following event, also at very short odds and looking to emulate Price Bloodstock Hall Of Famer, Silent Witness, who had also made his record five from five by winning the Sha Tin Vase before later becoming a Hong Kong racing icon.

Courier Wonder never looked like being beaten but even Size admitted the manner of the winner suggested perhaps the youngster was not seen at his absolute best in the final run of his first campaign.

“There are no more races I would want to run him in now and I think that he probably showed today that he was looking for a break anyway – that was the feeling I got watching the race live,” Size said. “He’s got talent and we just have to manage it and try and keep him out of harm’s way and then turn him loose on a race track. His goal is the Hong Kong Sprint – that’s where we’re heading.”

Moreira said that Courier Wonder had handled changed circumstances in the race when unable to lead.

“We had a great opportunity to learn a bit more about him today, the pace was really genuine so he had a chance to settle behind others. When he was turning, he got a bit lost and wanted to run out today, shying away from the other horses, but as we progressed he started to relax,” Moreira said. “In the straight, I pulled him out and he dashed home as he always does – good horses like him give jockeys an amazing feeling. I’m very excited for next season, he’s the type of horse that everyone dreams to have.”