News

Empires Fight Out Tight Finish In Singapore

29th Jul 2012

Rising Empire and Holy Empire fought out a tight finish to the Group 3 Juvenile Championship at Kranji in Singapore on Sunday, continuing the great run of Australian bred and Inglis sold juveniles in Asia.

With the aid of champion jockey Joao Moreira in the saddle Rising Empire ($60,000 2011 Premier, 2g Dehere-Chandon Rose) was able to overcome barrier 15 of 16 from Kranji’s 1200m turf course start, sustaining a strong run from back in the field down the centre of the straight to hold a head length margin at the finish over fellow Inglis Premier graduate Holy Empire with Super Good over length away in third.

Replay of Rising Empire’s Group 3 victory can be viewed online HERE

The win was trainer Leticia Dragon’s first ‘black type’ success since gaining her trainers license and taking over from her father Douglas at the start of the year.

“I’m very excited. This is my first Group winner. I knew the horse was very well in himself but I lost confidence with the barrier draw on Wednesday,” said Leticia after the win.

“I always thought he [Rising Empire] had shown a lot of potential and he certainly showed it today.

“He’s going to get over a bit more ground as well on that win,” Dragon added.

Bred by Matrix Bloodstock, Rising Empire was selected by Singapore trainer Brian Dean for $60,000 from the draft of Oakford Thoroughbred Farm of Maldon Victoria at the 2011 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

Educated in Australia, the son of Dehere was exported to Singapore in late November, arriving in one of the first shipments of juveniles to Kranji for the season alongside today’s runner-up Holy Empire and May’s winner of the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe.

After debuting with a second placing for Brian Dean in early March, Rising Empire was transferred by his owners, the Empire Ninety Racing Stable, into the care of Leticia Dragon, who now has 43 horses in her stable.

Rising Empire then won an Open 2YO event on Singapore’s polytrack over 1000m on 4 May when paired with Moreira, before finishing 6th, beaten just two lengths, in the Golden Horseshoe on 18 May after being hard to settle in the race.

The Dragon trained youngster was given a tune up for today’s assignment with a second placing behind older horses earlier this month, before being reunited with Moreira, who kept his perfect record with Rising Empire intact when saluting this afternoon.

Rising Empire has now earned over S$170,000 for the Empire Ninety Racing Stable.

Sunday’s victory caps off a great six months for Australian bred and Inglis sold juveniles in Asia, following the crowning of Amber Sky as Hong Kong’s Champion Griffin for 2011/12.

Amber Sky ($80,000 2011 Easter, 2g Exceed And Excel-Truly Wicked) was unbeaten in three impressive victories at Sha Tin from April to June in Hong Kong, leading to some glowing comments from jockey’s who partnered the two-year-old.

“I hate saying this about horses - but that is the best two-year-old I have ever ridden," Mark Du Plessis commented after Amber Sky clocked 55.99seconds when decimating older horses in a Class 3 field over 1000m at his third start.

Replay of Amber Sky in action at Sha Tin can be viewed HERE

Bred by O E & D R Pope Pty Ltd, the Exceed And Excel juvenile was purchased from the draft of Rubiton Bloodstock of Oakbank South Australia at the 2011 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $80,000 by trainer Ricky Yiu.

Yiu has ambitious plans for the youngster, which has big shoes to fill following the retirement of fellow Australian bred and Inglis sold stablemate Sacred Kingdom at the end of the recently completed Hong Kong season.

Sale dates for Inglis’ 2013 Select Yearling Sale Series have been confirmed and can be viewed at www.inglis.com.au