Record Breaking Win for Sacred Kingdom
17th November 2007
Rising sprint star Sacred Kingdom (4g Encosta de Lago - Courtroom Sweetie, by Zeditave) took another step up the ladder at Sha Tin on Saturday when he blew away a hot field to win the Cathay Pacific International Sprint Trial HK Gr2 by two and three-quarter lengths in course record time.
The powerhouse bay gelding by Encosta de Lago looked every inch a superstar as he cruised to the lead on straightening and raced away from last year’s Group One HK International Sprint winner Absolute Champion, stopping the clock at 1:07.50.
"Gerald (Mosse) did well to find cover on him and he said he relaxed well in midfield. He took his time for as long as possible but at the 300m the horse was fighting him so Gerald let him go," said winning trainer Ricky Yiu.
"I knew he had a great chance but I thought if he were to win, it would be by a neck or a length. Not like that because that was something else. He's just very exciting."
A winner of seven of his eight starts, Sacred Kingdom has never gone better than he did on Saturday and will prove a formidable rival for Australian sprint queen Miss Andretti when she arrives in Hong Kong.
A $200,000 purchase from the draft of Kornong Stud Farm at the 2005 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Sacred Kingdom is a half-brother to stakes-placed Opter being from the Zeditave mare Courtroom Sweetie, a full sister to Group Two winner Love of Mary.
Sacred Kingdom made it a winning double at Sha Tin for Encosta de Lago who scored earlier in the day with Ultra Fantasy (5g Encosta de Lago - Belle Anglaise, by Sir Ivor), winner of the Class Two event over 1000 metres.
