The Group II Sha Tin Trophy (1600m) on Sunday produced a trifecta for the Coolmore sires with California Spangle (IRE) and Beauty Eternal finishing first and third for Starspangledbanner and Churchill gelding Encountered (IRE) split the pair in second place.
Trained by Tony Cruz, California Spangle was having his first run for the season and was ridden a confident race by Hugh Bowman under his topweight of 61 kg. He led for home and couldn’t be run down with Encountered trying hard for second going down by half a length.
“Hugh Bowman is a top-class jockey. The horse showed his class today and the jockey rode a perfect race,” Cruz said. “After the second trial, California Spangle seemed to be going very badly but he came on after that trial. That was the big difference.
“He’s always been the star horse in my stable – he’s the only star horse in my stable at the moment – and Hugh Bowman will be riding him in the races ahead.”
Those assignments include the G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m) on 19 November and the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile.
California Spangle has the outstanding record of 11 wins and eight placings from 19 starts and is the best of five winners from Pearlita’s Passion, a half-sister by High Chaparral to Group II winner Shakespearean.
Starspangledbanner has a great strike rate with daughters of High Chaparral with 18 winners from 20 runners and three stakes-winners that also include his Group I winning 2YO The Wow Signal.
Starspangledbanner is back at Coolmore Australia this spring at a fee of $33,000 as is Churchill at a fee of $22,000.
