Top family to fore in HK

Savabeel’s well-related son, M Unicorn, has added to his Hong Kong record in a convincing style.

The Caspar Fownes-trained five-year-old claimed the second leg of the International Jockeys’ Championship over 1650 metres at Happy Valley last night in the hands of Ryan Moore.

M Unicorn has three career victories to his credit from 13 starts and has shown the benefit of a patient approach, with all his successes coming from his last four appearances.

He was bought out of breeder Waikato Stud’s class of 2020 at Karaka for $400,000 by the Hong Kong Jockey Club and was then purchased by the Manhattan Bros Syndicate for $625,800 at the International Sale.

M Unicorn is out of the Pins mare Candelabra, who is a half-sister to the G1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes winner Diademe and the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner and sire Embellish.

It is also the family of the former champion sprinter and two-time top-flight winner Sacred Star.

A brother to M Unicorn, the unraced On The Lash, was sold to Busuttin Racing at last year’s Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale for A$230,000, and Candelabra has a juvenile filly by Ocean Park.