Homebred gets Lui off the mark

Reigning Hong Kong champion trainer Francis Lui has opened his winning account this season with Matsu Victor overcoming a tough run to score at Happy Valley.Our homebred son of U S Navy Flag was parked three wide throughout over 1650 metres and still proved to strong for his Class 4 opposition.The patiently handled four-year-old was making his seventh appearance and his maiden success came off a previous runner-up finish over the course and distance in July.A quiet trial in between times had him in prime order to score in the hands of Vincent Ho.Matsu Victor was purchased out of our 2022 draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $160,000 and is a half-brother to the multiple winner and G3 Wellington Stakes placegetter Divine Power.Their dam is the Zabeel mare Lazaan, who is due to foal again to U S Navy Flag, and she is a daughter of the three-time Group 1-winning Encosta De Lago mare Lashed.Shogun Lodge is another multiple top-flight winner on the pedigree page.