Tuesday 31 May 2011
The Aga Khan Studs graduate MIGHTY HIGH lived up to his new name when winning the Gr 1 Champions and Chater Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday. The tough five-year-old had finished third in both the international Gr 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the Gr 3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup earlier this month, and he battled on bravely to the line to fight off the challenge of title-holder Mr Medici (Medicean) in this mile and a half event with the champion Viva Pataca finishing third.
MIGHTY HIGH raced in France under the name Berouni for Alain de Royer Dupré in 2009, and he won two races at Longchamp before being sold privately to his current owner Albert Hung, through agent Alastair Donald. The son of Peintre Célèbre was successful on his first outing under the care of John Moore in Hong Kong in June last year and also picked up the Gr 3 Centenary Vase at Sha Tin this February.
Jockey Darren Beadman told trainer John Moore after this latest success that his mount appears to be an ideal horse for the Gr 1 Melbourne Cup and the famous Australian handicap will be the major target for MIGHTY HIGH later this year.
MIGHTY HIGH comes from a classy stamina-rich family from the Jean-Luc Lagardère breeding empire. He is out of the Gr 2 Prix de Pomone-winner BERNIMIXA (Linamix) who is the full sister to Gr 3 Prix Gladiateur scorer Miraculous and half-sister to Listed winner and Gr 2 runner-up Winkle (High Chaparral).
In addition to MIGHTY HIGH, BERNIMIXA has also produced black-type performers Beret Rouge (Red Ransom) and Birzali (Kalanisi).
Updated on 31/05/2011.
