Photo: Selangor Turf Club
Novara Park Stud stallion King Of Comedy (Kingman) is on the board as a sire, with his son Sir Ruby becoming his first winner when victorious over 1300m at Selangor Turf Club in Malaysia on Sunday.
The three-year-old gelding was having his third start for trainer Joseph Leck, having placed on debut in September over 1200m before running fifth last month over 1150m.
In the hands of jockey Harmeet Singh Gill, Sir Ruby was able to secure the coveted one-one position early and enjoyed an economical passage for much of the journey. At the turn, pacemaker Mega Ace shot clear of the pack, putting several lengths on his rivals, but Sir Ruby took chase and showed a blistering turn of foot in the concluding stages to reel in the leader and runaway to a 2-3/4 length victory.
Bred by Pencarrow Stud, Sir Ruby is out of two-win Darci Brahma mare Navy Beach, who is also the dam of Group Three winner Wolfgang, who recorded his ninth win in the opening race at Te Rapa on Monday.
Sir Ruby failed to reach his $60,000 reserve when offered through Phoenix Park’s 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft, but returned to Karaka later that year where he was purchased by his trainer out of Phoenix Park’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale draft for $60,000.
Novara Park principal Luigi Muollo was impressed by the gelding on the sales complex and was delighted to see him score his maiden victory on Sunday.
“He was a really nice horse at the Ready To Run Sale and I thought he was a nice type,” Muollo said.
“He couldn’t have been more impressive with his win yesterday, he won by three lengths over 1300m, and if it was another 100m the margin would have been bigger.”
Muollo was a bit surprised his stallion’s first winner came offshore, but he said New Zealand’s wet tracks haven’t been conducive for King Of Comedy’s progeny.
“We thought we may have had it (first win) in New Zealand by now, but these Heavy tracks are still lingering and hopefully they start to turn the corner in the next week or two,” he said.
“He (King Of Comedy) was better on better footing. As they mature as three-year-olds and get over a mile and 2000m, that is what they will be best at.
“Kingman (King Of Comedy’s sire) is at 21 percent black-type performers to runners, he is an amazing stallion. King of Comedy had that turn of foot that Kingman had and it won’t be long until they (his progeny) start showing it.”
Muollo said he has received positive feedback from trainers on King Of Comedy’s progeny, with the stallion having several trial winners, and he is looking forward to seeing their progress when they head to the races.
“We have had a number of trial winners,” he said. “I know Hamish Auret has got a very smart one called Real Comedy, who I bred and sold to him at the sales, that is undefeated at the jumpouts and trials.”
Sir Ruby’s victory was very timely, with King Of Comedy set to have two of his progeny go through the sales ring at Karaka next month as part of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready To Run Sale.
Lot 50, a colt out of Press Week, a three-quarter sister to dual Group One winner and sire Press Statement, breezed up in a time of 10.92 seconds over 200m at Te Rapa last week for Lillywhites Lodge, while lot 246, a half-sister to stakes performer Nothing Compares, breezed up in a time of 10.74 seconds for Kilgravin Lodge.
Muollo bred the later and he is looking forward to offering her at Karaka next month.
“She ran a very fast time, considering the wind, and did it easy,” he said. “It is a very good family out of a mare that has already produced a stakes performer in Nothing Compares, who I bred.”
