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Racing Information - Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint - Roundup
Sacred Kingdom crowned the world's best sprinter
Sacred Kingdom justified his short price favouritism and confirmed that he is the best sprinter in the world when running out the emphatic two and a quarter length winner of the CX HK Sprint under Gerald Mosse.
Last year's winner Absolute Champion put up a great defence of his title when filling the runner up spot two and three quarters of a length ahead of Royal Delight in third and another local trained horse Scintillation to give Hong Kong sprinters a clean sweep in the race for the second time in three years. Hong Kong horses have now dominated the Sprint for the last six years.
Sacred Kingdom's market rival, the Australian trained Miss Andretti was never seen with a realistic chance from her wide draw, after running rank in the early parts of the race and coming home a well beaten tenth. Europe's major hope Benbaun, was a disappointing thirteenth and was never seen with a chance.
The early speed was cut out by Royal Delight and Why Be with Benbaun prominent in third but Sacred Kingdom in mid division was always travelling smoothly and when Gerald Mosse asked him for his effort in the straight, the response was electric as he ran down his local rivals Absolute Champion and the front running Royal Delight.
Australian jockey Craig Newitt said Miss Andretti was never comfortable racing right handed and that was the only explanation he could offer for her below par performance. "She struggled going this way, got her head up early and was never comfortable tracking around the corners," he said.
Afterwards a delighted Mosse had only this to say, "He is a very good horse, quite simply one of the best I've ever ridden."
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint - QUOTESGerald Mosse, jockey Sacred Kingdom: "He's a very, very good horse. Quite simply one of the best I have ever ridden. Coming off the final bend I had all the horse in the world but not the room. Once we found the gap – boom!"
Ricky Yiu, trainer Sacred Kingdom: "He has proved he is one of the best sprinters in the world; maybe the best now. I was a little worried at the top of home. Gerald said the same, he was looking for a gap but when it came 300m out he took it and showed the turn of foot that we expected. It would be nice to take him overseas at some point but there are big races to go for in Hong Kong first."
Brett Prebble, jockey Absolute Champion: "He ran his heat out and he is a year older and was beaten by a superstar. I guess nobody expected Absolute Champion to win quite the way he did last year so to come second a year later on a different preparation and after surgery is still a great achievement."
Pat Smullen, jockey Benbaun: "I had to use him up a bit early and he was perhaps more forward than we would have liked. He felt very flat after a hard run in the Abbaye and at the end of a long season but we'll live to fight another day."
Davy Bonilla, jockey Marchand D'Or: "He missed the start. When the winner kicked he was a bit flat footed. It is the end of a long season."
Eric Saint-Martin, jockey Scintillation: "He has run a great race and tried all the way. He ran to the wire."
Christophe Soumillon, jockey Tiza: "He didn't take the turn very well and he didn't like the track."
Neil Callan, jockey Desert Lord: "The pace and distance didn't suit him. He is a better horse over 1000m. He settled better today but just does not find anything over this distance."
Noel Callow, jockey Why Be: "If I'd be drawn better it would have helped. He was very wide throughout."
Shane Dye, jockey Royal Delight: "Tried his heart out but the winner is just too good."
Darren Beadman, jockey Sunny Sing: "That was just a bit rich for him. I had a good run on the fence but when the pressure came on he came up short."
Howard Y T Cheng, jockey Sunny Power: "Very good run taking on this class for the first time and running from a wide gate."
Frankie Dettori, jockey Green Birdie: "He got lost in the straight in the first time blinkers. He was a bit disoriented. He is better than that."
Craig Newitt, jockey Miss Andretti: "She could not get across from her wide gate and she got he head up early in the race. She just struggled this way round. She was on her Melbourne 'left' leg all the way and was never comfortable."
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