News

Australian Contingent Head To Singapore

7th May 2009

Racing And Sports) - Thursday, 7 May 2009

Australian-bred stars Pompeii Ruler, Takeover Target and Sarrera will leave Australia this Saturday to embark on their Singapore Airlines International Cup and Krisflyer International Sprint missions.

At Kranji on Sunday, May 17 the trio will aim to build on the growing success of Australian-bred horses on the international stage.

Pompeii Ruler (pictured) will board an IRT flight in Melbourne this Saturday morning along with the Mike Moroney trained Sarrera before picking up Takeover Target from Adelaide en route to Singapore.

The three horses are scheduled to touch down in Singapore at 6.45pm this Saturday (Singapore time).

Sarrera (Quest For Fame-Zamsong, by Zabeel) typifies the toughness for which Australian-bred horses have become renowned for worldwide. He was purchased for $100,000 at the 2002 Magic Millions Sales and has now earned more than $1 million in prizemoney.

He overcame a life threatening injury last spring to run a close second to Pompeii Ruler in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes last start.

“He's done a remarkable job,” Moroney said.

“As a three-year-old he bowed a tendon and at the age of five he had a growth in his intestine which had to be removed.”

The eight-year-old overcame those problems to claim the Queen Elizabeth-Doomben Cup double 12 months ago before his dice with death a few months later.

“Another horse kicked him and cracked his ribs and he burst a spleen,” Moroney said.

“They feared for his life for about five or six days and he spent eight days at Werribee Vet Clinic.”

Despite the setbacks, he has returned to peak form.

“He went a great race last time and because he backed up from the Queen Elizabeth to win the Doomben Cup last year, we're hoping he might do the same in Singapore.”

Pompeii Ruler (Genuine-West with Night) has also had a number of injury setbacks during his career and defied them to beat a star-studded field in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick last start.

The win (his 8th) took the six-year-old's earnings beyond the $2million mark - not bad for a horse that was passed in for just $9000 at the 2004 Inglis Autumn Yearling Sale.

His latest win was enough for trainer Mick Price to set him for the Singapore Airlines International Cup to emulate fellow Australian-bred galloper Mummify, which won the race in 2005.

Joe Janiak has left Takeover Target (Celtic Swing-Shady Stream, by Archregent) in South Australia following his tough G1 Goodwood Handicap win last Saturday, that took his career earnings up to $6million.

“He's pulled up really well after Saturday and we're looking forward to getting to Singapore now,” Janiak said.

Takeover Target will defend his Group 1 KrisFlyer Sprint title. Some of his main rivals include fellow Australian-bred gallopers Rocket Man, Sacred Kingdom and Inspiration.

Sacred Kingdom (Encosta De Lago-Courtroom Sweetie, by Zeditave) and Inspiration (Flying Spur-La Bamba, by Last Tycoon) fly in from Hong Kong on Sunday.

Sacred Kingdom was the World's Highest Rated Sprinter in 2007-08. A $200,000 buy at the 2005 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, he has now won $AUS3.8million.

Similarly, the John Moore trained Inspiration, which won the 2008 Group 1 Hong Kong International Sprint, has justified his $420,000 Easter price tag by winning more than $2 million so far.

Rocket Man (Viscount-Macrosa, by McGinty) is a huge star in Singapore and remains unbeaten. He constantly nudges the Kranji track record, having run sub 1:9.1 for the 1200m on no less than five occasions, including his past two wins in 1:8.6 and 1:8.7.

The three-year-old cost just $60,000 from the 2007 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.

The Singapore Airlines International Cup and Krisflyer Sprint will be broadcast live on Sky Channel next Sunday (May 17).

• Aushorse Release