The soil and open spaces of New Zealand are seemingly all it has taken to rejuvenate the racing career of Victory Code.
The former Hong Kong-trained galloper was having his second start in New Zealand when he won at Woodville last weekend, scorching over 1200m to win arestricted handicap in the brilliant time of one minute 8.97 seconds.
He has since bounded to the forefront of calculations for the group one $250,000 Telegraph Handicap at Trentham on January 19.
Victory Code won three races from 16 starts in Hong Hong for trainer David Hall but was retired from racing with what was thought to be arthritis in his knees.
The Faltaat six-year-old gelding was bred by Brendan Healy of Wanganui and sold at the National Yearling Sales at Karaka for $100,000.
Healy was going to look after Victory Code in his retirement for the horse's Hong Kong owner Kenneth Chung but began to doubt the horse had arthritis when he arrived in New Zealand a few months ago.
"All the [Hong Kong] vet reports were that he had arthritis in his knees and he wouldn't be a racing proposition," Healy told NZPA. "But we got a very good vet from Palmerston North to have a look at him and he said he could find nothing wrong."
Healy wondered whether the confined environment of multi-level buildings for stabling in Hong Kong did not suit Victory Code.
Wanganui trainer Wayne Marshment echoed Healy's comments. Marshment said he often placed magnetic boots to help with blood circulation but otherwise Victory Code "was as free as a bird".
Victory Code is half-brother to Marshment's former top sprinter Centre Crest, who won 17 races including a group one race at Otaki. Centre Crest was also bred by Healy.
Victory Code had been entered for the Railway Handicap at Ellerslie on January 1 but failed to gain a start after being listed as an emergency.
Marshment said: "I was dying to run him, he was spot on."
