Lucky Sweynesse bounces back to his best in Sprint Cup
City’s premier speedster sets up clash with California Spangle on Champions Day
Lucky Sweynesse is a winner once more, with Hong Kong’s premier speedster snaring yesterday’s Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) to set up an intriguing clash with California Spangle in the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) later this month.
Defeated twice as favourite since his Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) success in December, Lucky Sweynesse was sent off at $2 for his first run under Hugh Bowman and impressed the star Australian with his half-length defeat of Invincible Sage.
“He needs no introduction. He’s Hong Kong’s best sprinter and he has been for some time. He’s an ultra-consistent horse and it’s an honour to ride horses of this calibre,” Bowman said.
“It was just delightful to get the job done today. I was confident in the run because I thought the pace was frantic early and I was able to get in a really smooth, comfortable rhythm throughout. I knew what I had underneath me when I asked him to extend.”
Like he has been in recent runs, Lucky Sweynesse was only fairly away and he settled one off the rail behind midfield in a race where the first 400m was run .41 of a second inside standard on a rain-softened Sha Tin surface.
The pace slackened from there and Lucky Sweynesse showed his class to run over the top of his rivals in the home straight despite giving them all five pounds.
“The horse normally keeps very well but the last few runs [he’s had] a little bit of bad luck and then this race Hugh Bowman rode a good race for us – more patient,” said trainer Manfred Man Ka-leung before suggesting Kiwi jockey James McDonald will be back in the saddle for April 28’s Chairman’s Sprint Prize.
“At this moment, very happy and we will plan for April 28, 1,200m for him again. Just keep him normal for the 28th. I hope he can keep his form but I think it should be no problem.”
Lucky Sweynesse’s second straight Sprint Cup success takes his record to 16 wins from 24 starts and the five-year-old will enter his Chairman’s Sprint Prize defence as the short favourite.
The presence of California Spangle hot off his Group One Al Quoz Sprint (1,200m) victory in Dubai will ensure a much-anticipated clash, while January’s Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) hero Victor The Winner will also re-enter the fray after his recent third in Japan’s Group One Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1,200m).
He’s an ultraconsistent horse and it’s an honour to ride horses of this calibre JOCKEY HUGH BOWMAN
David Hall-trained pair Invincible Sage and Flying Ace are also expected to be there after impressing yesterday, with Flying Ace two lengths behind his stablemate in third.
A two-time winner aboard Invincible Sage, Bowman was not surprised to see the four-year-old turn in a career-best showing ridden more prominently than usual by Alexis Badel.
“I know Invincible Sage very well and it was no surprise to me to see him perform at the level he did,” said Bowman, who finished the afternoon with a double after earlier saluting aboard Hasten Delight for Francis Lui Kin-wai.
“He’s just got a little bit of maturing to do before he reaches the level of Lucky Sweynesse, if he ever does. But he’s a lovely progressive horse and it’s good to see him competing so well.”