News

Ascot All Out To Attract Kingdom

20th May 2009

Racing And Sports - Story By Nicholas Godfrey, Racing Post - Wednesday, 20 May 2009

Ascot is leaving no stone unturned in a bid to attract Sacred Kingdom to next month's royal meeting after his brilliant victory in Singapore on Sunday (pictured).

Sacred Kingdom, world champion sprinter in 2007, returned to his best after injury to wear down local star Rocket Man, unbeaten in seven previous starts over course and distance, in the KrisFlyer International Sprint at Kranji.

Takeover Target, down the field in Singapore, remains on course for the Golden Jubilee.

Sacred Kingdom's jockey Brett Prebble is advising the gelding's connections they should throw their hat into the ring in the showpiece Group 1 sprint, one of two Ascot legs of the Global Sprint Challenge alongside the King's Stand.

The stumbling block is that Sacred Kingdom is not entered for the Golden Jubilee, which would mean paying a supplementary entry of £45,000 by June 15.

On the plus side, the race is worth £450,000, while Sacred Kingdom's connections would benefit from generous travel allowances.

Nick Smith, Ascot's head of public relations, is optimistic aboutthe chances of attracting Sacred Kingdom.

He was on the phone to Mark Player, Hong Kong's manager of international racing, as soon as they passed the post in Singapore, and travel costs are not an issue as Ascot had already set asidethe funds for Hong Kong Sprint winner Inspiration, who isn't travelling.

"We've told Mark Player that they can be simply transferred to Sacred Kingdom, so there is no problem there," explained Smith.

"But the supplementary fee is obviously an issue and we cannot do anything about that, as it would be in no way appropriate to everyone else who is already entered.

"The frustrating thing is that they did not enter originally, sonow it just depends on how sporting the owners want to be," added Smith. "We have been trying to convince them that it is the logical step for the horse now as there isn't rally another race for him in Asia until the Sprinters Stakes in Japan in the autumn.

"They can show he is the best sprinter on the world - Hong Kong horses have seldom had the chance to do and whereas yesterday I was 99 per cent certain there was no chance, I am getting quite hopeful now."

Sacred Kingdom's jockey Prebble is convinced that Ascot should be the target.

"My advice would be to go, without any reservation," Prebble told the South China Morning Post.

"If there was a suitable race in two weeks, he could go around and win again, maybe even easier.

"So my vote would be to go to England. He'll give them some swish over there, I promise you."

Trainer Ricky Yiu is expected back in Hong Kong on Tuesday. "Anything is possible," he said.

Sacred Kingdom has recovered his best form after suffering a hairline fracture in a sesamoid bone in one of his forelegs last year.

Photo: C/- Singapore Turf Club