Hard Spun completed a Darley treble at the Chinese New Year meeting when his promising gelding Mr Gnocchi won Race 11 at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Mr Gnocchi (4g Hard Spun – Sunflower Street by Fantastic Light) powered home in the Fat Choi Hcp (1600m) for the owner-trainer team of Dr Gene Tsoi and Danny Chum.

Hard Spun stands at Darley’s Victorian base at Northwood Park in Seymour.  Mr Gnocchi’s impressive victory followed those of Our Folks (Exceed And Excel) and Akeed Mofeed (Dubawi) in the G1 Centenary Vase Hcp.

“His last two starts have been very tough races buy maybe we can keep him fresh for the Hong Kong Derby,” Shum said on Sunday.  “He’s virtually guaranteed a place now.  I will monitor him for the next few days to see how he is eating and just how he is generally.”

The G1 Hong Kong Derby (2000m) is scheduled for March 16.  Tsoi won the classic in 2003 with Australian bred filly Elegant Fashion.

Hard Spun (Danzig) has averaged 115 mares a season in five seasons at Northwood Park.  Darley changed his northern hemisphere address from Kentucky to Japan for 2014.

Mr Gnocchi’s dam Sunflower Street has a yearling filly by Exceed And Excel and a colt on the ground by Helmet.  Her current three year-old is a gelding named Kansas (Commands) and his most recent victory for Sheikh Mohammed was at Geelong on January 8.

Hard Spun is a Top 10 stallion on the Australian third season premiership with 26 winners of $835,000.  His chief earner this season is Perth based Spin Da Wheels who is being set for the G2 WATC Derby (2400m) at Ascot on April 12.

HARD SPUN
Top 10 stallion on the Australian third season premiership