Hong Kong Sprint
| Group 1 race | |
| Location |
Sha Tin Racecourse Hong Kong, China |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1999 |
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Sponsor | Longines |
| Website | Hong Kong Jockey Club |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1,200 metres (a6f) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Right-handed |
| Qualification | Three-years-old and up |
| Weight |
126 lb Allowances 4 lb for fillies and mares |
| Purse | HK$18,500,000 (2014) |
| Bonuses | see Global Sprint Challenge |
The Hong Kong Sprint is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1,200 metres (about 6 furlongs) at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December.
The race was first run in 1999, and it was originally contested over 1,000 metres. It was richest 1,000m horse race in the world before 2006. It was promoted to Group 1 status in 2002, and the present distance, 1,200 metres, was introduced in 2006. The event is now the final leg in the nine race Global Sprint Challenge series, preceded by The Age Classic.
The Hong Kong Sprint is one of the four Hong Kong International Races, and it presently offers a purse of HK$18,500,000 since 2014/15 (approximately US$2.38 million).
Records
Speed record: (at present distance of 1,200 metres)
- 1:07.80 – Absolute Champion (2006)
Most wins:
- 2 – Falvelon (2000, 2001)
- 2 – Silent Witness (2003, 2004)
- 2 – Sacred Kingdom (2007, 2009)
- 2 – Lord Kanaloa (2012, 2013)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 3 – Brett Prebble (2006, 2009, 2011)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 3 – Ricky Yiu (1999, 2007, 2009)
Most wins by an owner:
- 2 – Dawn Falvey et al. (2000, 2001)
- 2 – Archie & Betty da Silva (2003, 2004)
- 2 – Sin Kang Yuk (2007, 2009)
- 2 – Lord Horse Club (2012, 2013)
Winners
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Fairy King Prawn | 4 | Steven King | Ricky Yiu | Philip Lau Sak-Hong | 0:56.50 |
| 2000 | Falvelon | 4 | Damien Oliver | Danny Bougoure | Dawn Falvey et al. | 0:56.70 |
| 2001 | Falvelon | 5 | Damien Oliver | Danny Bougoure | Dawn Falvey et al. | 0:57.00 |
| 2002 | All Thrills Too | 5 | Gérald Mossé | David Hayes | Alan Lam Man Bun | 0:56.40 |
| 2003 | Silent Witness | 4 | Felix Coetzee | Tony Cruz | Archie & Betty da Silva | 0:56.50 |
| 2004 | Silent Witness | 5 | Felix Coetzee | Tony Cruz | Archie & Betty da Silva | 0:56.80 |
| 2005 | Natural Blitz | 5 | Glyn Schofield | Derek Cruz | Lam Yin Kee | 0:57.60 |
| 2006 | Absolute Champion | 5 | Brett Prebble | David Hall | Eddie Wong Ming Chak | 1:07.80 |
| 2007 | Sacred Kingdom | 4 | Gérald Mossé | Ricky Yiu | Sin Kang Yuk | 1:08.40 |
| 2008 | Inspiration | 5 | Darren Beadman | John Moore | Mr & Mrs Hui Sai Fun | 1:08.68 |
| 2009 | Sacred Kingdom | 6 | Brett Prebble | Ricky Yiu | Sin Kang Yuk | 1:09.16 |
| 2010 | J J the Jet Plane | 6 | Peter Strydom | Lucky Houdalakis | HSN du Preez, CF Strydom, L Houdalakis, CD Boyens | 1:08.84 |
| 2011 | Lucky Nine | 4 | Brett Prebble | Caspar Fownes | Dr Chang Fuk To & Maria Chang Lee Ming Shum | 1:08.98 |
| 2012 | Lord Kanaloa | 4 | Yasunari Iwata | Takayuki Yasuda | Lord Horse Club | 1:08.50 |
| 2013 | Lord Kanaloa | 5 | Yasunari Iwata | Takayuki Yasuda | Lord Horse Club | 1:08.25 |
| 2014 | Aerovelocity | 6 | Zac Purton | Paul O'Sullivan | Daniel Yeung Ngai | 1:08.57 |
| 2015 | Peniaphobia | 4 | Joao Moreira | Tony Cruz | Huang Kai Wen | 1:08.74 |
References
- Racing Post:
- Racing Information of Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint (2011/12)
- Website of Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint (2011/12)
- The Hong Kong Jockey Club
- horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Hong Kong Sprint (2009).
- pedigreequery.com – Hong Kong Sprint – Sha Tin.