Longines Hong Kong Sprint
Hong Kong | FEATURE RACE GUIDE
History
The Longines Hong Kong Sprint is a Group 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for the sprinters at Sha Tin conducted by Hong Kong Jockey Club.
It is run as part of the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) meeting run in December each year.
The Longines Hong Kong Sprint is run over 1200m. It was first run in 1999 and was won by Fairy King Prawn.
The first runnings were as a Listed Race over 1000m but became 1200m in 2006.
It was then a Group 3 in 2000, Group 2 after that before becoming a Group 1 from 2002.
Most wins by a Trainer (3): Ricky Yiu, Tony Cruz and Takayuki Yasuda
Most wins by a Jockey (3): Brett Prebble and Zac Purton.
Six horses have won the Sprint twice:- Falvelon, Silent Witness, Sacred Kingdom, Lord Kanaloa, Aerovelocity and Mr Stunning.
Some grand sprinters over the years have won and some all-time favourites from Hong Kong are amongst them. That is because the sprinters are the horses best known internationally from there – such as Silent Witness, Absolute Champion, Sacred Kingdom, Lucky Nine and Aerovelocity.
Of the overseas winners, Falvelon won twice for Brisbane trainer Danny Bougoure and Damien Oliver before it became a G1, winning up the 1000m straight. J J The Jet Plane scored for South Africa and the Japanese powerhouse Lord Kanaloa won twice. His son Danon Smash won in 2020.
The Longines Hong Kong Sprint is now the final leg of the Global Sprint Challenge.
Mr Stunning was one of Hong Kong's four home trained winners on International Day 2018.
The 2021 version was marred by a horrible fall where four horses didn't complete the course and their jockeys were left strewn on the track. Some of the horses sadly didn't make it home.
The Longines Hong Kong Sprint was worth HK$26m in 2023.
Notable winners of the Longines Hong Kong Sprint include Lucky Sweynesse (2023), Wellington (2022), Danon Smash (2020), Mr Stunning (2017/2018), Aerovelocity (2014/2016), Lord Kanaloa (2012/2013), Sacred Kingdom (2007/2009), Absolute Champion (2006), Silent Witness (2003/2004), Falvelon (2000/2001) and Fairy King Prawn (1999).
The 2023 Longines Hong Kong Sprint was won by Lucky Sweynesse from Lucky With You and Wellington.
Previous Longines Hong Kong Sprint Winners
| Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LUCKY SWEYNESSE (NZ) 5G SWEYNESSE (AUS) - MADONNA MIA (NZ) RED CLUBS (IRE) | Z PURTON | 57.0 | MANFRED MAN | 5 | |
| WELLINGTON (AUS) 6G ALL TOO HARD (AUS) - MIHIRI (AUS) MORE THAN READY (USA) | RYAN MOORE | 57.0 | R GIBSON | 10 | |
| SKY FIELD (AUS) 5G DEEP FIELD (AUS) - LARAVISSANTE (NZ) O'REILLY (NZ) | B SHINN | 57.0 | C FOWNES | 1 | |
| DANON SMASH (JPN) 5H LORD KANALOA (JPN) - SPINNING WILDCAT (USA) HARD SPUN (USA) | RYAN MOORE | 57.0 | TAKAYUKI YASUDA | 14 | |
| BEAT THE CLOCK (AUS) 6G Hinchinbrook (AUS) - FLION FENENA (AUS) LION HUNTER (AUS) | JOAO MOREIRA | 57.0 | JOHN SIZE | 3 | |
| MR STUNNING (AUS) 6G EXCEED AND EXCEL (AUS) - With Fervour (USA) DAYJUR (USA) | K TEETAN | 57.0 | F C LOR | 9 | |
| MR STUNNING (AUS) 5G EXCEED AND EXCEL (AUS) - With Fervour (USA) DAYJUR (USA) | N RAWILLER | 57.0 | JOHN SIZE | 4 | |
| AEROVELOCITY (NZ) 8G PINS (AUS) - EXODUS (NZ) KAAPSTAD (NZ) | Z PURTON | 57.0 | P O'SULLIVAN | 2 | |
| PENIAPHOBIA (IRE) 4G DANDY MAN (IRE) - UMLANI (IRE) GREAT COMMOTION (USA) | JOAO MOREIRA | 57.0 | A S CRUZ | 14 | |
| AEROVELOCITY (NZ) 6G PINS (AUS) - EXODUS (NZ) KAAPSTAD (NZ) | Z PURTON | 57.0 | P O'SULLIVAN | 7 | |
| LORD KANALOA (JPN) 5H KING KAMEHAMEHA (JPN) - LADY BLOSSOM (JPN) STORM CAT (USA) | Y IWATA | 57.0 | TAKAYUKI YASUDA | 12 | |
| LORD KANALOA (JPN) 4H KING KAMEHAMEHA (JPN) - LADY BLOSSOM (JPN) STORM CAT (USA) | Y IWATA | 57.0 | TAKAYUKI YASUDA | 6 | |
| LUCKY NINE (IRE) 4G DUBAWI (IRE) - BIRJAND (GB) GREEN DESERT (USA) | B PREBBLE | 57.0 | C FOWNES | 6 | |
| J J THE JET PLANE (SAF) 6G JET MASTER (SAF) - MAJESTIC GUEST (SAF) NORTHERN GUEST (USA) | PIERE STRYDOM | 57.0 | LUCKY HOUDALAKIS | ||
| SACRED KINGDOM (AUS) 6G ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) - COURTROOM SWEETIE (AUS) ZEDITAVE (AUS) | B PREBBLE | 58.0 | P F YIU | 7 | |
| INSPIRATION (AUS) 5G FLYING SPUR (AUS) - LA BAMBA (AUS) LAST TYCOON (AUS) | D BEADMAN | 58.0 | JOHN MOORE | 9 | |
| SACRED KINGDOM (AUS) 4G ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) - COURTROOM SWEETIE (AUS) ZEDITAVE (AUS) | G MOSSE | 58.0 | P F YIU | 6 | |
| ABSOLUTE CHAMPION (AUS) 5G MARAUDING (NZ) - BEAUTY BELLE (AUS) IDEAL PLANET (AUS) | B PREBBLE | 58.0 | DAVID HALL | 5 | |
| NATURAL BLITZ (AUS) 5G MAROOF (USA) - MIIHARO (NZ) BLETCHINGLY (AUS) | G SCHOFIELD | 58.0 | D CRUZ | 2 | |
| SILENT WITNESS (AUS) 5G EL MOXIE (USA) - JADE TIARA (AUS) BUREAUCRACY (NZ) | F COETZEE | 58.0 | A S CRUZ | 6 | |
| SILENT WITNESS (AUS) 4G EL MOXIE (USA) - JADE TIARA (AUS) BUREAUCRACY (NZ) | F COETZEE | 58.0 | A S CRUZ | 11 | |
| ALL THRILLS TOO (AUS) 5G ST COVET (AUS) - RED SLIPPERS (NZ) CITIDANCER (IRE) | G MOSSE | 58.0 | D A HAYES | 2 |
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