Massive Sovereign rallies for neck win in Hong Kong Derby

After racing next to last in the field of 14, post-time favorite Massive Sovereign stormed to the lead in the last 25 yards and won by a neck in stakes-record time Sunday in the US$3,322,874 Hong Kong Derby for older horses racing 1 1/4 miles on the good to firm turf at Sha Tin.

The winning time was 1:59.85 without a run-up for the 2,000 meters, 13 yards short of 1 1/4 miles. That broke the stakes record of 2:00.15 established four years ago by Golden Sixty. The early fractions Sunday were 25.53, 49.45, 1:12.77 and 1:35.71.

Bought from Coolmore last month by Chan Kam Hung, the 4-year-old formerly named Broadhurst is a No Nay Never gelding who gave jockey Zac Purton his second win in the Hong Kong Derby and trainer Dennis Yip his first. Massive Sovereign (3-1) made his Hong Kong debut only three weeks ago with a win over the same course and distance as Sunday’s feature.

Galaxy Patch (6-1), the only horse who trailed Massive Sovereign early, also made a deep-closing run only to come up second best.

Long shot Ka Ying Generation (39-1) set the pace and looked like he might go gate to wire before he ran out of steam in the final 50 yards. He settled for third, losing by three-quarters of a length. Chill Chibi (10-1) was fourth, and Unbelievable (57-1) finished fifth.