Xiong Feng to be aimed at Sydney following Karaka Million triumph

Xiong Feng

WHEN classy two-year-old Xiong Feng won the Karaka Million at Ellerslie on Sunday, it proved you don’t need to spend money to make money.

The $30,000 purchase for a group of Singapore-based owners has resulted in winnings over $580,000 from only three unbeaten starts and the happy owners couldn’t be more proud of Xiong Feng.

“It’s unbelievable,” principal owner Tan Kim Chau Stanley said.

“I’m speechless! I’ve followed this horse through the whole process, his first race, his second race and now today. He’s a very strong horse and we’re all very happy.”

The son of Ifraaj is trained in partnership by Stephen McKee and Edward Chippendale, with the latter only recently taking up training with McKee in order to get his name out in the industry.

McKee has been here before, winning some of the world’s biggest races with champion mare Sunline, but for Chippendale, the experience of winning a $1 million race is something he didn’t think would happen so shortly into his training career.

“It has been an awesome buzz winning the Karaka Million,” an elated Chippendale said at Ardmore Lodge on Tuesday morning.

“Especially being so early into the training partnership with Stephen.

“A win like this in my first season of training is amazing, a big thrill.

“Hopefully winning this race will put my name out there more and attract more owners into our stable.”

Chippendale puts the win down to a team effort which includes jockey Alyssa Schwerin who regularly rides for the stables and is Xiong Feng’s track rider.

“It’s a big team effort, especially our apprentice Alyssa Schwerin who rides him in track work and just loves him,” he said.

“Xiong Feng is one of the most relaxed horses around. Always willing, but can be a bit lazy at times. Only does what he has to do.”

Co-trainer Stephen McKee has plans to get Xiong Feng to Sydney later this year and states it would relish some softer track conditions.

“I’d love to get him over to Sydney later in the year,” McKee said.

“He’s even better in the wet and you are usually a chance to get that at Easter time.”

McKee initially told the owners that Xiong Feng would make a nice three-year-old and he didn’t realise how much potential it had till it went to the races.

“He’s still untapped really, he doesn’t show us a lot at home and we didn’t know how good he was until we brought him to the races,” he said.

Being around the stables has its advantages, but when we asked what Xiong Feng translated to, we got a different answer every time.

“It means ‘top of the tree, top of the mountain’ or something like that,” McKee quipped.

“But every time I ask an Asian I get a different answer.”

Next on the agenda for Xiong Feng is the Group 1 Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie on March 12 where there is a handy bonus on offer for the prized colt.

“There’s a big bonus attached to winning that and that’s something to look at it,” McKee said.

“If he can step up to that level then he’s definitely one for Australia.”

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