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| Staff Writer |
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Trainer Tony Cruz aimed for the Gr.1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse on 10th March as an opportunity for California Spangle to break free from a slump and potentially secure a spot in the Gr.1 Al Quoz Sprint on Gr.1 World Cup night in Dubai.
The 6YO Starspangledbanner gelding showcased a remarkable performance in the Jubilee Cup, leading wire-to-wire to clinch a one-length victory reminiscent of his earlier glory days.
A closely contested finish saw Galaxy Patch and Red Lion, both long shots, securing second and third positions respectively, while the favorites, Beauty Eternal and the world's top-rated sprinter, Lucky Sweynesse, settled for fourth and fifth places.
California Spangle, whose career started strongly during the 2021-22 season, had been struggling to claim victory in Group One races since his upset win over three-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty in the Gr.1 Longines Hong Kong Mile on 11th December 2022. Before the Silver Jubilee Cup, his best performances in four starts were two fourth-place finishes.
With the Cup returning to 1,400 meters (about 7 furlongs), a distance where California Spangle had previously excelled, and a jockey change to Brenton Avdulla, who secured his first Group One victory, the odds were in California Spangle's favor.
Leading from the start at a controlled pace, California Spangle faced minimal threats throughout the race. However, Galaxy Patch's late surge, though wide, added a touch of suspense to the proceedings.
Despite a challenging trip, Lucky Sweynesse showed promise, rallying in the straight but falling short in the final 50 meters under James McDonald's guidance.
Cruz dedicated the victory to California Spangle's late owner, Howard Liang, and praised Avdulla for an impeccable ride.
"This horse was very important to the late Howard Liang," Cruz said. "He bought the horse and I'm so glad he has won another Group 1. He is the best horse Howard raced and the exciting part of today is that California Spangle had to perform to go to Dubai. And now he's heading to Dubai and everybody is thrilled about it.
"He had the perfect race today. I think Brenton rode a perfect race. He did exactly what I expected him to do. I'm so happy about that. We're going to Dubai now and Brenton is going to ride him in Dubai."
Having won 13 top-level events in Australia, Avdulla arrived in Hong Kong in May 2023 with the expectation of a short stay to end that season. However, he now views the unique jockey situation with a slightly different perspective.
"I was confident that, given an opportunity, that I could succeed here. I rode a winner for Tony at the beginning of the season and then I was quiet for a bit. But then I had a four-timer (four wins on a program) and Group Two win (for trainer John Size).
"All the hard work pays off and like anything, with an opportunity, I always thought I was good enough to capitalize and today shows that," Avdulla said.