She might not have finished in the placings, but Tony Noonan’s mare Ortensia was far from disgraced in finishing an honourable fifth in the top class Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin on Sunday, less than two lengths behind surprise winner JJ The Jet Plane.
The only Australian representative at the high-profile international fixture, the five-year-old settled towards the rear of the field before delighting Australia horse racing fans by making headway two furlongs out under Craig Williams. Although never able to land a blow at the leaders, Ortensia, a 33/1 shot for the Group 1 contest, kept on bravely to grab fifth place in the 14-strong field and earn her connections around AUS$60,000, a sum that should cover the expenses and leave a bit to spare.
The six furlong (1200m) contest was run at breakneck speed and for much of the final furlong it looked as if star Singapore sprinter Rocket Man was going to score at the main expense of local hero Sacred Kingdom, who was going for his third successive victory in the event. The two main protagonists were caught out close home, however, by South African star JJ The Jet Plane (racing odds of 17/1), who came with a searing late burst of speed under Piere Strydom to get up and nab Rocket Man on the line, with Sacred Kingdom right behind in third.
Ortensia, a winner of three of her previous 14 starts in Australia, was last seen finishing third in the Grade 1 Patinack Farm Classic at Flemington last month, but this was a definite step forward and hints that the mare could be competitive in the top grade at international level, should Noonan decide to travel the Fraser family’s mare overseas again next season.
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