Silent Witness returned to his very best to land Sunday’s Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse, the sixth and final leg of the 2005 Global Sprint Challenge, and owner Archie Da Silva quickly told the assembled massed media that the 2006 challenge could now be on the cards:
“Let’s say the Global Sprint Challenge is now very much on the agenda and Royal Ascot is most definitely a strong possibility,” said Da Silva, who had earlier looked on as connections of Cape of Good Hope were awarded the trophy for winning the inaugural challenge with victories in Australia and at Royal Ascot at York.
“The series is a good idea and I’d now like to run once before this year’s Hong Kong International Sprint in December, then we’d like to go to Flemington for the Lightning Stakes (leg one), back to Hong Kong for the domestic sprint series there, then on to Royal Ascot (legs three and four). Hopefully after that we’ll be back in Japan for this race again (leg six) and finish off in Hong Kong in December (leg seven) – where hopefully we’ll get the bonus!”
After a successful inaugural year for the Global Sprint Challenge, Hong Kong’s premier sprint, the group one Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint, joins the series in 2006, for which there will be a US $1 million bonus for winning a group one challenge leg in three out of four participating nations.
Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Executive Director, Racing, at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said “It is with great pleasure that we are taking part in this joint venture with Racing Victoria Limited, Ascot Racecourse and the Japan Racing Association.
"Hong Kong has a strong team of sprinters with international experience, and we look forward to seeing some exciting competition in 2006.”
Cape of Good Hope wasn’t disgraced in the Sprinters Stakes, running better than his eleventh place suggests, and trainer David Oughton added his backing for the emerging challenge concept:
“The fact that it is a global challenge brings people and horses together and creates a lot of interest in sprinters around the world.
“Cape of Good Hope’s performances this year have meant a lot to both myself and the connections. It was quite an achievement for him to run in three different countries, including Hong Kong, and win in two of them,” Oughton said.
Nick Smith, Head of Public Relations for Ascot Racecourse, said:
"Cape of Good Hope is a true example of what this series is all about and we were delighted to see the ambition of his team rewarded - they can now lay claim to the accolade of being the first Hong Kong-trained horse to win at the Royal Meeting - hopefully he and Silent Witness will clash at next year’s meeting.
"There were also runners from Japan, America and all over Europe in the Ascot legs this year which gives us good foundations to build on. We’ll be talking to connections of Durandal, probably Japan’s best sprinter who was doing his best work at the end of the Sprinters Stakes and finished second.
“The Hong Kong Sprint is one of the most important and best supported sprint races of the season and a natural climax to the challenge. The existing members are looking forward to working with the Hong Kong Jockey Club as we continue to set the framework for a coherent and credible international pattern for the world's elite sprinters. “
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