John Size contemplates Ka Ying Rising rematch after Wunderbar strikes again in Sha Tin | Hong Kong race

Trainer John Size will consider setting Wunderbar up for another clash with sprinter Ka Ying Rising after the thrilling gallop continued his winning ways at Sha Tin on Sunday.

In his first test at Class Two level, Wunderbar beat a gallant Bottomuptogether to add to his imposing record and claim the treble for champion jockey Zac Purton on the day.

Purton had Wunderbar well placed behind leader Bottomuptogether in the race and came clear of the fence to make his challenge at the top of the straight.

The pair pulled away from their rivals and neither gave an inch in the final 300m, but it was $1.9 favorite Wunderbar who prevailed to score by a neck. Gorgeous Win was a length and a half behind in third.

Now two from two this season after a successful return last month, Wunderbar claimed his sixth win in seven starts, with his only defeat a second to elegant sprinter Mugen.

But with no class two races at Sha Tin until December, Size said four-year-old Rich Enuff could be released in the group two Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) on November 17, where he would meet Ka Ying Rising for the third time. .

Wunderbar is the only horse to have defeated Ka Ying Rising after narrowly accounting for David Hayes’ Excitement Machine in their two encounters in January.

“He’s six out of seven and he’s done well,” Size said.

“Racing is a bit difficult for him at the moment and we will find something for him. I’ll think about (the Jockey Club Group Two Sprint), I’ll see how the horse is doing and there’s not much.”

Size was thrilled with Wunderbar’s victory after he overcame a long absence and gave up the lane to score first.

“He showed good speed and had to keep fighting, so it was a good effort. At the top of the field, with the track a little faster, he had a better time and I suppose that’s all he could do,” said Size, whose two season winners came courtesy of Wunderbar.

Purton said: “Like all of John Size’s horses he has improved with the race and is going in the right direction, he just needs to learn to switch off a little better in the middle stages.”

Purton was also victorious on Frankie Lor Fu-chuen’s Savvy Brilliant in a class three over 1200m and the David Hall-trained Charmander in a class five event over 1400m.

Winner of Mornington in his only start in Australia under the Gallaroo name, Savvy Brilliant came home from sixth on the turn to beat Captain Win by three-quarters of a length.

The Toronado four-year-old bounced back from an unhappy debut in Hong Kong when he was eighth on Magic Control in the straight.

“Zac said when he passed the other horses he was just waiting and looking around,” Lor said.

“I hope he continues to improve. We could go to Happy Valley with him. We hope the short straight suits him.”

Lucy In The Sky added another layer to Wunderbar’s excellent form following a second place for the talented sprinter from Size with a hard-fought victory on Sunday.

Karis Teetan lifted Lucy In The Sky to a half-length triumph over Prince Of Porty in a 1400m Class Three handicap in a performance that could prompt Me Tsui Yu-sak to consider a tilt in the Classic Mile.

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