It's no coincidence that leading Hong Kong racing personality Apollo Ng's links to two runners in Saturday's $A500,000 Gr.1 Queensland Oaks are New Zealand-bred.
Ng, whom Gai Waterhouse last year described as "one of the most fascinating racing people in the entire world," is well known for his many roles in thoroughbred racing.
The Chinese commentator for Hong Kong racing for 21 years before his retirement from that position in 2010, Ng continues to run his own racing publication Racing World and he also breeds, buys and manages bloodstock for a range of entities.He is particularly looking forward to Saturday's Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Doomben, with his interest centering around former Kiwi trainer John Sargent's two New Zealand-bred fillies, Swift Lady and the balloted Champion Stage.
Ng has been an advocate for several former accounting colleagues who bred and race O'Reilly filly Swift Lady - Alvin Wong, YT Cheung, Allan Ho and Silas Yang, while he bought Champion Stage for his uncle, Oliver Wong, a retired solicitor with "no other interests outside racin," according to his nephew.Ng bought Swift Lady's grand-dam Swiftsynd for his accounting friends and they have bred from her and her offspring since.
"I have bought and bred horses in New Zealand for very good reason," Ng said from Hong Kong this week."New Zealand can offer the stamina which some other bloodlines can't provide. Often young European staying stallions start their stud careers there too, for example High Chaparral and Mastercraftsman, and they get their chance in New Zealand.
"In Australia, you go for speed, New Zealand - stamina. The nice horses I've bought in New Zealand all have got stamina."Ng has had excellent success with New Zealand-bred gallopers in recent years including Largo Da Barra, Gust Of Wind and Mountain View.
Though Champion Stage is in danger of not gaining a start in the Queensland Oaks, Ng sees little between her and Swift Lady."Champion Stage might be the better stayer but Swift Lady might be more brilliant and they can get away with a staying trip as a three-year-old," he said.
"It's a toss of a coin which one is better. If Champion Stage doesn't make the field, we'll try and get her into the Derby the next week. We'll be looking for both horses to eventually run well at the spring carnival in Melbourne.
