Sacred Kingdom reclaims Hong Kong Sprint crown

Sin Kang Yuk's SACRED KINGDOM (Encosta

de Lago) upheld local dominance in Sunday's $1.6 million Hong Kong Sprint

(HK-G1) by regaining the title he won so impressively two years ago. In the

process, the Ricky Yiu charge became the third horse to win the Sprint twice,

following Hong Kong legend Silent Witness (2003-04) and Australia's Falvelon

(2000-01).

The race widely reckoned to be the best international sprint line-up for many

seasons given the presence of so many champions from all over the world

ultimately boiled down a local shootout. The first four past the post this year were trained in Hong Kong, and it was

the eighth straight season for the winner to be based at Sha Tin. Overall, Hong

Kong-based horses have won nine of the 11 runnings of the Sprint.

Prebble savored success after victory in the same race in 2006

aboard Absolute Champion.

"I had a lovely run in midfield, but I didn't want to get there too quickly," Prebble said. "When I was coming off their backs at the top of the straight, I

had to count to 10 before pressing the button because he's getting smarter as he

gets older -- he nearly pulled up on me there in the end! To be honest, I

expected he would perform like that, but it's great when it all works out." 

Yiu was winning the Sprint for the third time, with his first victory

courtesy of Fairy King Prawn in 1999.

"I felt the same before the race as I did before he won (the KrisFlyer

International Sprint [Mal-G1]) in Singapore earlier in the year," Yiu said. "He was in good condition, training well and we just needed the

luck in running and Brett did a brilliant job. To win this race for the third

time is a real thrill, too."

Sacred Kingdom, who was hailed as the world's champion sprinter in the

wake of his 2007 Sprint victory, has stated his case for a similar

accolade this year.

During the 2007-08 Hong Kong season, he also captured the

Chairman's Sprint Prize (HK-G1), International Sprint Trial (HK-G2), GOME Sprint

(HK-G2) and the Sha Tin Sprint Trophy (HK-G3).

His 2008-09 season was delayed by injury, which denied him the opportunity to

defend his title in last year's Sprint. Sacred Kingdom took time to round into

form, returning with a fourth in the Centenary Sprint Cup (HK-G1) in February, a

third in the Chairman's Sprint Prize, and a sixth in the Queen's Silver Jubilee

Cup (HK-G1).

With those three runs under his belt, the six-year-old gelding

recaptured his old glory in the Sprint Cup (HK-G2) in May, the prep that set him

up perfectly for his narrow victory in the KrisFlyer International Sprint.

Sacred Kingdom invaded Royal Ascot for the Golden Jubilee S. (Eng-G1) in

June, but failed to show his usual finishing kick and tired to fifth. Freshened

thereafter, he made his first start back a solid second in the Sprint Trial to

Happy Zero (Danzero). Underscoring the value of the form, Happy Zero came back

to finish a gallant runner-up to Good Ba Ba (Lear Fan) in Sunday's Hong Kong

Mile (HK-G1). Sacred Kingdom has now compiled a mark of 21-13-3-1 with

approximately $4.2 million in his account.

Like all previous Sprint winners, Sacred Kingdom is an Australian native.

Bred by Mrs. N.F. Calvert and the Estate of A.M. Calvert, he was sold for

A$200,000 as an Inglis Bloodstock Premier yearling. He was produced by the Zeditave mare Courtroom Sweetie, who is a full sister to multiple Australian

Group 2 heroine Love of Mary. This is the family of New Zealand Group 2 queen

Puttanesca (NZ) (Bertolini), most recently fifth in the Matriarch S. (G1) at

Hollywood Park.