Kingdom has what it takes to prevail in the Sprint Prize
Champion sprinter Sacred Kingdom had questions asked of him and that may be the case again in what is an even stronger Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) this afternoon, but the six-year-old remains the horse they all have to beat.
The sit-sprint nature of the Centenary Sprint Cup, with Ultra Fantasy scorching over the final 400m in a tick over 21 seconds was hardly the ideal scenario for Sacred Kingdom (Brett Prebble), who would probably prefer a decent tempo to run at.
But he had the answers last time and that may again be the case, despite a strange sort of a Group One sprint field, which might again be without a strong tempo.
Ultra Fantasy and Regency Dragon, in the two inside gates, are genuine speed runners. Regency Dragon is coming back after a tendon injury, so whether they will compete head-on for the front is a question mark.
Sacred Kingdom can travel a little unkindly when the pace isn't consistent, but that wasn't enough to stop him once Prebble got busy in the 1,000m sprint last time and his change of gears is better suited to racing around a bend. It would suit Sacred Kingdom all the better if the leaders pressure each other, but it would also fit the bill for his main dangers, Happy Zero (Darren Beadman) and One World (Weichong Marwing).
The last meeting of Happy Zero and Sacred Kingdom saw a clear knockout for Happy Zero in the International Sprint Trial, though the John Moore-trained horse had the benefit of a race under his belt and a pull in the weights. They arrive in an opposite scenario - level weights, Sacred Kingdom is the fit horse and Happy Zero is coming back from a minor setback when he had blood in his trachea after a trial in January and was scratched from the Stewards' Cup.
Nevertheless, the break since running in the Hong Kong Mile might play in his favour as he is unbeaten fresh, and his trial on February 2 was enough to suggest Happy Zero will be on song for this. Like Sacred Kingdom, he has had the look of a freak when he puts his best foot forward, so the Chairman's promises to be no pushover for Yiu's star.
One World will have to produce at least his usual big finishing splits to beat both of them, as he will be giving away a start, but he hasn't been far from either in his consistent efforts all season.
Champion sprinter Sacred Kingdom has been a good money spinner for the connections, banking: $35m
