The Hong Kong International Raceday run at Sha Tin racecourse on Sunday and in particular the $HK 10 million Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint (G1) 1000m produced another outstanding result for the Australian breeding industry, with the first four placegetters in the Sprint all bred in Australia.

Natural Blitz (Maroof – Miiharo), bred in Western Australia by Gray and Jan Williamson, won the Group 1 sprint with a fine display of pure speed. Amongst the leading horses from the start, Natural Blitz was too strong for fellow Australian bred horses Planet Ruler (Danehill-Sequenza) second, Able Prince (Hurricane Sky – Queen’s Choir) third and Country Music (Danzero – Paris Nights) fourth in 57.60s.

Amazingly, all seven winners of the HK Sprint to date have been bred in Australia with current World Champion turf sprinter Silent Witness triumphing in 2004 – 2003, All Thrills Too in 2002, Falvelon in 2001 – 2000, and Fairy King Prawn in 1999. Such consistent results in one of the top sprint races in the world highlight the class of turf sprinter that is produced by the Australian breeding industry.

”Australian bred horses are consistently amongst the best turf sprinters in the world. People in the Northern Hemisphere have begun to accept that Australia offers one of, if not the best, source of speed in the world. Our horses are precocious, tough and above all fast,” said John Messara, Chairman of Aushorse.

(Aushorse media release)