Absolute Champion, Vengeance Of Rain Deliver The Gr.1 Goods

Two of Hong Kong´s international stars, Absolute Champion and Vengeance Of Rain, held sway in Sunday´s Gr.1 double bill at Sha Tin.

First the world´s top ranked sprinter, Absolute Champion needed a short-head verdict to succeed in a thrilling Chairman´s Sprint Prize from Planet Ruler; half an hour later Vengeance Of Rain prevailed from Viva Pataca in the Hong Kong Gold Cup.

This was Vengeance Of Rain´s first win since taking out the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup in December 2005 shortly after which he was spelled in New Zealand for six months.

A select Gold Cup field of just eight runners was always going to elicit a battle of tactics, particularly in the absence of any real pace in the race. The field jogged through early sectionals of 26.7, 26.6 and 25.9 seconds with second favourite Vengeance Of Rain holding second place under jockey Anthony Delpech. The South African rider got first run on his rivals from the top of homestretch and, finishing in a time of 21.6 seconds, they clung on by a fast diminishing neck.

'It was a tremendous win, one full of merit and I honestly think there is still some room for improvement in him. His bodyweight is still at 1200lbs and I can´t get it off him ? I think it´s a legacy from his time in New Zealand last year. That break he had in Cambridge Stud was so important for him and I want to thank everybody there for their help,' trainer David Ferraris.

Vengeance Of Rain is engaged in the US$5million Dubai Sheema Classic on March 31 and Ferraris will make a final decision on the gelding´s participation 'within the next 48 hours.'

Similar plans for Bullish Luck (Dubai World Cup) and Viva Pataca (Sheema Classic) will also become apparent in the coming days.

No such trip overseas awaits Absolute Champion but trainer David Hall and jockey Brett Prebble are looking forward to stepping the five-year-old up to 1400m in the Queen´s Silver Jubilee Cup, the third leg of the Champion Sprint Series, next month.

Following his track record-breaking success in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint last December, Absolute Champion was backed into 1/3 favourite for a repeat performance at the same 1200m distance ? win he did, but it was a mighty close call.

Absolute Champion settled in seventh behind another scorching pace until halfway before Prebble ? who rode an amazing five winners from eight rides - produced him to lead with under a furlong to race. However, the pair could not shake off the attentions of Planet Ruler and Andrasch Starke and only just survived in a head-bobbing climax.

'It was a bit hearts-in-mouths, that´s for sure, but somehow the good horses always know how to win,' Hall said.