KEY POINTS:
Luck is considered the most invaluable ingredient by Hong Kong's Asian racing fraternity.
Somewhere in Hong Kong today is a very unlucky person - the one who was meant to own Pasta Post before a sub-standard veterinary examination aborted the sale.
There are solid and understandable reasons why vet clearances are stringent and Hong Kong's are probably the world's toughest.
So even if the potential owner had been prepared to take the risk on the downside of Pasta Post's soundness, it was taken out of his hands a few years earlier when the Hong Kong Jockey Club itself took over the approval of veterinary examinations.
Pedal bone injuries - in this case a hairline fracture - are not something you'd generally take a risk on, but for a horse of Pasta Post's enormous ability you possibly might if the price was adjusted back far enough. That wasn't possible.
The Hong Kong owner missed out on a horse that would have been a sensation at Sha Tin as he proved he is here in winning Saturday's First Sovereign Easter Handicap at Ellerslie.
Pasta Post's owners Gary Williams and Frank Wade and the syndicate members of Sapphire Bloodstock are not complaining - stakemoney of $380,525 and the train is only just starting to roll out of the station.
An interesting point is that Pasta Post proved to be perfectly sound as he approached this group one test, although none of the camp is relaxing because he had a pedal bone glitch again going into his winning run in the City Of Auckland Cup.
Pasta Post hadn't raced since he failed to make the money for only the second time in nine starts in the Wellington Cup in January and huge credit has to go to his trainers Graeme Sanders and his son Mark for the condition they presented the horse in on Saturday.
According to Graeme Sanders, Pasta Post is 15kg heavier than his lead-up to the City Of Auckland Cup, yet on Saturday the horse looked hard and ready despite the extra condition.
"It's remarkable, he came in 15kg heavier and he's kept it on. He's been ready for this for the last two weeks."
Graeme Sanders, like most trainers, does not take races for granted, particularly group one events, but said the stable had been extremely confident of success.
Pasta Post looked a picture of composure in the pre-race parade, just waiting for his opportunity.
He is now unbeaten in three attempts at 1600m, but staying races is where he will eventually win most of his money.
If you doubt that go back and re-watch the way he ground to the finish on Saturday from the 220m. It was certainly an extremely fast and effective grind, but it was a grind.
What a 2000m to 2200m horse he will make.
He also looked every bit a Melbourne Cup horse in winning the City Of Auckland Cup and Graeme Sanders hasn't completely ruled that race out even though it's unlikely, but it's the Kelt Capital and Cox Plate that are more likely to be his focus later this year. The amount of work required to get a horse fit for a Melbourne Cup could prove too much for Pasta Post's soundness issues.
Everyone around the horse is adamant we haven't seen the best of him.
"He'll just get stronger and better," said apprentice Craig Grylls, normally remarkably grounded for one so young but he allowed himself to float a little after riding his first group one winner.
Also very special to him was maintaining a family tradition - his late grandfather John Grylls won the 1972 Easter Handicap on Kia Marea and father Gary was successful on Cosmetique in 1986.
"He's unbelievable this horse," said Grylls, who was quick to share the glory of fellow Te Awamutu jockey Sean Collins, who rode Pasta Post to several earlier wins, but who has not been able to ride light enough to be on in recent wins.
You known Graeme Sanders is excited about the future of Pasta Post.
"He's very special this horse."
She might not have been the first to greet Pasta Post, but stablemate Prize Lady was alongside 15 minutes later in the Ellerslie tie-ups.
To keep Pasta Post company the Sanders stable took Prize Lady to Trentham when Pasta Post ran in the Wellington Cup and she made another non-race float trip on Saturday.
Placegetters Sterling Prince and Culminate are running out of time to win a major race this campaign, but each has one in them.
Sir Slick tried hard under his 60.5kg, but 12th, 4.6 lengths away was his lot. "I followed the winner all the way, but he couldn't sprint late in the race," said Bruce Herd.
Special Mission bled and is out for a mandatory three-month, stand-down.
