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.'