Sunday Hong Kong.

Good Ba Ba vs Sacred Kingdom rematch


Preview: Hong Kong, Sunday (GMT: 8.35am)

Sha Tin: Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (Group 1) 7f, turf

GOOD BA BA is one of the world's top milers, while Sacred Kingdom was world champion sprinter in 2007.

On Sunday, this pair of Hong Kong superstars clash over the intermediate trip of 7f for the second time in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin.

Last year, Good Ba Ba came off best by a half-length to record the third Group 1 victory of his career en route to claiming the Hong Kong horse of the year title.

Two more have followed, a spectacular repeat success in the Hong Kong Mile in December having been followed by more of the same in the Stewards' Cup over 1m in January.

Christophe Soumillon jets in from France to partner the seven-year-old son of Lear Fan for trainer Andreas Schutz.

"Our horse will go back as usual and hopefully he can quicken up like he has in his last couple of races," said Schutz.

"He's in great form and he's just as good at this distance. He still holds the Class 1 record for 1,400m for winning the Chinese New Year Cup two years ago."

Trainer Ricky Yiu isn't too troubled by an outside barrier of 13 for Sacred Kingdom, which he said was "much preferable" to the inside alley last time in the Chairman's Sprint Prize, when he was impeded on the rails by a wall of horses.

"He was going to go back anyway so the gate is no concern," said Yiu, whose six-year-old hasn't won in two starts since his return from injury.

"What's most important is that he has clear running in daylight to let him produce his great turn of foot.

"I've always said that 1400m might well be his best trip and this is only the second time he gets to show what he can do at it."

Trainers' championship leaders John Moore and John Size are both triple-handed in the HK$4.5m (£420,000) event, where the latter's top two are Armada and Enthused.

"Armada is back after a spell having run in the international mile in December," said five-time champion Size.

"He missed the Stewards' Cup because he's best with a nice gap between his races and I've been happy with his preparation.

"Enthused, on the other hand, is just a very consistent horse and he has been dealt a suitable barrier for the first time in a while fromone."

Felix Coetzee, who celebrated his 50th birthday last week, returns to Hong Kong to renew his acquaintance with Egyptian Ra

Well done Felix, has his own party one week then spoils another this week!!!!!!!

Coetzee stuns Good Ba Ba on Egyptian Ra


Report: Hong Kong, Sunday
Sha Tin: Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (Group 1) 7f, turf

A RACE billed as a clash between Hong Kong superstars Good Ba Ba and Sacred Kingdom ended with their being upstaged as Egyptian Ra nicked the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup from the front.


One week after celebrating his 50th birthday, jockey Felix Coetzee strode back into town and displayed all his guile and experience to make virtually all on the 17-1 shot.

Coetzee had left Hong Kong last December after 16 years to return to his native South Africa but was only too happy to field a call from his old allies, trainer Tony Cruz and owner Cheng Keung-fai, and journey back to his old stamping ground at Sha Tin for this Group 1.

What a ride he produced to spike the big guns, leading soon after the start and expertly judging the pace as Egyptian Ra raced on unchallenged in front in the HK4.5million (£400,000) event.

Turning for home, the pair had pinched more than two lengths on the field and Coetzee kept the seven-year-old son of Woodborough up to his work to score by three-quarters of a length over top miler Good Ba Ba, who stayed on best of the rest for second.
Trainer Tony Cruz



Fellowship finished third in a race where horses who raced off the pace were at a marked disadvantage - among them Sacred Kingdom, who trailed past the line in sixth place.

This was the second time this season that Egyptian Ra and Coetzee had made all at the expense of GoodBa Ba, having also achieved the feat in the Cathay Pacific International Mile Trial.

Tony Cruz now hopes these deeds will result in an international mission at the end of the season after Egyptian Ra stopped the clock at 1m21.01s for the 1400 metres.

"In his previous race, the Stewards' Cup, Egyptian Ra pulled up with a sore joint so I have to thank the vets here for the work they did," Cruz said.

"Today we got the right jockey onboard in Felix. When Felix said he would be able to make the trip from South Africa I became confident that the horse would turn in a big show as he rides him so well.

"We were mostly worried about Good Ba Ba beforehand, but now that we have beaten him I'm hoping we can be invited to race in Japan in the Yasuda Kinen in June with the Champions Mile in between next month."

A thrilled Coetzee added: "I am deeply honoured and sincerely grateful to Tony and Mr Cheng for inviting me to ride the horse. This is a really exciting result for me.

"I took a peek at the big screen off the turn for home and I was really happy when I saw I had opened up a bit of a gap on them.

"I thought they might have been closer at that point and it filled me with confidence that we might nick it because I knew my horse wouldn't stop.

"He does all the work, he always paces himself and he's always capable of putting this kind of time on the board and when he does he's very, very hard to beat."

Well done, Felix!

Noticed that Egyptian Ra is a New Zealand-bred son of Woodborough who now stands at Rathmor Stud in KZN.

Top rider for so many years because of his committment.
Arrives on time every morning either at Phillipi or Milnerton.
Can ride 52kg with no real sweat.
An example to any young rider trying to succeed in a tough business