New star emerges for No Nay Never as Massive Sovereign wins Hong Kong Derby

Massive Sovereign continued his brilliant start to his Hong Kong career with a thrilling victory in the Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin on Sunday morning, reeling in long-time leader Ya King Generation before holding off Galaxy Patch's late charge to win by a neck.

The four-year-old son of No Nay Never made his debut for trainer Dennis Yip earlier this month and it was a first Hong Kong Group 1 win for the trainer and the second winner of the race for jockey Zac Purton.

Yip said: “The last 200m, I was very nervous, but I can rely on Zac [Purton]. He’s the champion jockey in Hong Kong and he’s done everything for the horse. In the morning, at trackwork, every time he gets up on the horse he told me he liked him a lot.”

Massive Sovereign was privately acquired by bloodstock agent Andy Lo Chung Yin and Mark McStay on behalf of Chan Kam Hung having previously won a Dundalk maiden and the Sovereign Path Premier Handicap during the Irish Champions Festival for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners.

Known as Broadhurst when trained at Ballydoyle, the gelding was bred by Lynch Bages and Summerhill Stud out of the Listed Prix de Liancourt winner Sweet Charity. He is the first foal out of the Grade 2 Santa Ana Stakes third by Myboycharlie.

Consigned by Camas Park Stud at the Goffs Orby Sale, he was purchased by MV Magnier for €620,000.

Sweet Charity has a three-year-old full-sister to the Hong Kong Derby winner in training in Japan where she made her debut earlier this month for Tristar Racing and Ryo Terashima. Named Love Comedy, she failed to find a buyer when sent through the ring at Goffs 12 months after her full brother.

The pair has a two-year-old full-sister who was offered by Camas Park Stud at Book Two of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale but was bought back at 70,000gns. Sweet Charity has a yearling filly by No Nay Never.

Bred by Hubert Honore, Sweet Charity was purchased by Tina Rau and Nicolas Clement for €30,000 at Arqana's October Yearling Sale in 2014 and was acquired by Lane's End for €450,000 at the Arqana Arc Sale following her Listed race success.

Running in the green and white silks of Hronis Racing, she added more black type to her resume when trained by John Sadler before being sold by Lane's End to BBA Ireland for $250,000 at Keeneland's January Sale in 2019.

Sweet Charity is out of Sapfo, a winning Peintre Celebre half-sister to Listed Prix Six Perfections winner Aktoria. That Canford Cliffs mare is the dam of last season's Group 3 Prix Greffuhle winner Greenland, from the first crop of Saxon Warrior.

She is also a half-sister to the Group 3-placed Galaktea and Now You're Talking, a Listed-placed daughter of Zoffany.

Coolmore's Prix Morny and Norfolk Stakes winner by Scat Daddy is the sire of Group/Grade 1 winners in Europe, Australia and Chile including European champion two-year-old Little Big Bear, who is standing alongside his sire at the operation's Fethard base this season.

His Hong Kong Derby winner could tackle another Irish-bred Hong Kong Star, the Cox Plate hero Romantic Warrior, for his next task.

“I have entered him already for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup on FWD Champions Day [[28 Apr]”, said Yip. “I’ll see how he pulls up after today, but if he’s good then I’ll go that way.”

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