Giant Strides In HK

17 January 2011

The well-related Smart Giant made up for an unlucky last-start defeat in Hong Kong when he opened his winning account with authority at Sha Tin last night. Trained by John Moore, the stud-bred and sold son of Pins was far too good for his opposition over 1400 metres to give leading jockey Darren Beadman an easy ride to victory.

A $A160,000 yearling buy out of the farm’s Sydney Easter draft in 2009, Smart Giant had finished runner-up in his first two appearances before circumstances went against him on New Year’s Day. The three-year-old was unplaced after rider Beadman had lost a stirrup iron early in the race.

The gelding is out of the O’Reilly mare Spring who has now left four winners, including the outstanding mare Daffodil (No Excuse Needed). Raced by the us, the $1 million earner was retired last year with three Gr 1 victories to her credit in the AJC Oaks, NZ 1000 Guineas and the Hawke’s Bay Challenge Stakes to be served by resident sire Pins.

The Corner with Garry Chittick

We live in a vastly different world to the world I was born into 80 years ago. Of course, I would not feel the effects of the political values of the time with any likelihood of understanding, perhaps for 30 years, and yet the environment in which my cousins and I were raised in has had an entrenched effect on our lives.

27 August 2025

Ocean Park sires Wednesday winner for Sargent

Ocean Park’s son Hooligan Tommy made it three wins on the bounce with an impressive first-up Randwick victory, further boosting the credentials of his sire, already responsible for four Group 1 winners.