Hugh Bowman wins HK Derby on Werther
Premier Sydney jockey Hugh Bowman has claimed his first international Group One win on Werther in the Hong Kong Derby.
The victory came just a day after Bowman steered star mare Winx to her latest Group One win in Saturday’s George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill.
“This is my first Group One winner outside of Australia and it gives me great pleasure that it’s here in Hong Kong,” Bowman said.
“It’s the highlight of my career.”
Formerly trained in New Zealand by Andrew Campbell, Werther ran second in the South Australian and Queensland Derbys last year before being transferred to John Moore in Hong Kong.
It was a fifth Derby for Moore who also trained the runner-up Victory Magic.
Moore will now set Werther on a path to the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin on April 24.
“He’ll 100 per cent be able to mix it with those horses,” he said.
“We’ll see what the Japanese send over but from my point of view he’s another star in the making.”