Starspangledbanner’s California Spangle Shatters Record In Al Quoz Sprint

Saturday's G1 Al Quoz Sprint resulted in a track record-setting victory for Hong Kong, with one of their star gallopers–CALIFORNIA SPANGLE (IRE) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}–Pearlitas Passion {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire})–running out an emotional winner in more ways than one. Originally racing for Howard Liang, the Michael Enright-bred 6-year-old gelding now races for Liang's estate, as he died several months ago. It was also the first victory for Hong Kong in the race since Amber Sky (Aus) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) captured a 1000-metre version 10 years previously.

The winner cruised up to track the early leader Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}) in this straight test. Always moving freely well off the fence, California Spangle seized the baton with 400 metres to travel, while in a smooth rhythm under Brenton Avdulla. Not asked for much while just ahead on the front end, the bay nevertheless was holding his rivals safe, despite never opening up daylight. Star Of Mystery (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), a 'TDN Rising Star' in the capable hands of Frankie Dettori, was weaving her way toward the Hong Kong raider while in receipt of 13 pounds, but no matter how hard she tried, she was unable to bridge the gap and settled for second, three-quarters of a length behind. It was the same margin back to Diligent Harry (GB) (Due Diligence), who had also made up ground to be third.

The time of 1:07.50 lowered the course record of 1:07.61 set by Wildman Jack (Goldencents) in the 2020 G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint.

Winning trainer Tony Cruz said, “I knew it would happen sooner or later. I got this opportunity and I came with a lot of confidence that we would win this race today.

“The family–the 'California family'–is here today. Howard Liang, whose horses usually are named California, passed away recently so I would like to dedicate this win to him. We are over the moon with this, the owner's wish was always to win these big races. I wish he was here tonight but his whole family is here and we're going to celebrate together.”

Representing the owners, Chester Liang said, “The horse means a lot to my family and I and I'm really happy that we were able to win. Tony said if he won last time in Hong Kong, then we'd come. He did, we decided the horse was in good form, so we came. This was my dad's favourite horse, so he always means a lot. He is probably looking down on us.”

An €150,000 yearling out of the Goffs Orby Sale in 2019, the bay was later bought by Badgers Bloodstock for the late Howard Liang. He first began accruing group victories in 2022, and signed off that campaign with a neck victory in the G1 Hong Kong Mile over Hong Kong superstar Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) that December. The consistent gelding continued to burnish his resume with scores in the G2 Chairman's Trophy and G2 Sha Tin Trophy H. last term. However, he would go winless in his next four starts, until claiming the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup by a length earlier this month.

“I think we'll go into sprint races back in Hong Kong, that's the end of April [the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize],” Cruz added. “We'll take on Lucky Sweynesse (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}). He's always been a sprinter-miler and I believe he's more a sprinter than a miler.”

Asked about Royal Ascot, he said, “It's a possibility. I've got to try to work it out.”

 

Pedigree Notes

A winner of the G1 Golden Jubilee S. just like his sire, Starspangledbanner has sired 38 stakes winners (25 group) worldwide and spends his time shuttling between Coolmore Stud in Ireland and Coolmore Australia. With his Al Quoz Sprint victory, California Spangle has now taken four top-level races, which puts him on par with his sire's other four-time Group/Grade 1 winner–Rathbarry Stud stallion State Of Rest (Ire). Other Group 1 winners sired by Starspangledbanner include G1 Prix Morny hero The Wow Signal (Ire) who was bred on the same Starspangledbanner–High Chaparral cross, G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Millisle (Ire), GI American Oaks victress Rhea Moon (Ire), and G1 Prix Jean Romanet winner Aristia (Ire).

The late High Chaparral did his best work at stud from the Southern Hemisphere. Already the sire of 75 stakes winners (42 group) internationally as a broodmare sire, High Chaparral has 14 Grade/Group 1 winners worldwide. California Spangle is his best runner in that sphere.

The deceased Pearlitas Passion delivered nine foals, and five of them are winners anchored by Saturday's winner. The Lope De Vega (Ire) gelding Wychwood Warrior (Ire) was placed in both the Listed Platinum S. and Listed Patton S. in Ireland, as well as once at that level in the UAE. The 4-year-old filly Alchimia (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) has yet to race, as does Pearlitas Passion's final foal–a full-brother to the winner who just turned two. The last-named horse did not meet his reserve when unsold for €400,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale in 2023.

Under the placed second dam Paimpolaise (Ire) (Priolo) is the G2 Hungerford S. and G3 Solario S. hero Shakespearean (Ire) (Shamardal). However, Paimpolaise is a half-sister to three stakes horses, with the best of them the four-time stakes producer Pont-Aven (Ire) (Try My Best), a winner of the G3 Prix de Saint-Georges, who played bridesmaid in the 1990 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.

Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
AL QUOZ SPRINT SPONSORED BY AZIZI DEVELOPMENTS-G1, AED1,500,000, Meydan, 3-30, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:07.50, gd.
1–CALIFORNIA SPANGLE (IRE), 130, g, 6, by Starspangledbanner (Aus)
                1st Dam: Pearlitas Passion (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Paimpolaise (Ire), by Priolo
                3rd Dam: Basilea (Fr), by Frere Basile (Fr)
(€150,000 Ylg '19 GOFOCT). O-The Executors of the Estate of
the Late Howard Liang Yum Shing; B-Michael Enright (IRE);
T-Tony Cruz; J-Brenton Avdulla. $870,000. Lifetime Record:
MG1SW-HK, 25-13-6-2, $9,500,774. *1/2 to Wychwood
Warrior (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), MSP-Ire. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Star Of Mystery (GB), 117, f, 3, Kodiac (GB)–Mistrusting (Ire),
by Shamardal. TDN Rising Star. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE.
O/B-Godolphin (Ire); T-Charlie Appleby. $300,000.
3–Diligent Harry (GB), 130, g, 6, Due Diligence–Harryana To
(GB), by Compton Place (GB). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE.
(£38,000 Ylg '19 GOFFPR). O-The Dilinquents; B-Whitsbury
Manor Stud (GB); T-Clive Cox. $150,000.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 3/4.
Also Ran: Bilhayl (Ire), Sight Success (Aus), Casa Creed, Emaraaty Ana (GB), King Gold (Fr), Danyah (Ire), Frost At Dawn, Jasper Krone, Ponntos (Ire). Click for the ERA chart & video.

 

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California Spangle Earns Dubai Date With Poignant QSJC Victory

Five months after the passing of owner Howard Liang, California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) recaptured some of his best form to post a front-running upset in Sunday's G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse. In going one better in the 1400-metre contest than last year, the 6-year-old punched his ticket to Dubai for the G1 Al Quoz Sprint over a straight 1200-metre trip Mar. 30.

Having bested Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) in the 2022 G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, the €150,000 Goffs Orby acquisition won the G2 Sha Tin Trophy H. with 135 pounds on his back last October, but was was well-beaten in his next four starts. He beat just one home in defence of his Mile title in December and was last seen finishing fourth to the G1 Dubai Turf-bound Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) in the G1 Stewards Cup Jan. 21. His 10-1 starting price was the longest of his 24-race career and he rewarded those who kept the faith on a rainy Sunday afternoon in the New Territories.

Brenton Avdulla was at the controls for the first time, and he was after California Spangle from the bell to secure the front, as Healthy Happy (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}) ranged up to apply a bit of pressure. Able to control the pace through the middle furlongs while clocking sectional times well outside standard, the bay turned for home full of run and never looked like surrendering the lead thereafter. The progressive Galaxy Patch (Aus) (Wandjina {Aus}) flashed home in a race-fastest :22.15 to claim second ahead of the rail-skimming Red Lion (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) in third.

Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) drifted from $1.80 (4-5) to jump as the $2.20 (6-5) favourite, and was snagged back to the rear by James McDonald after getting bumped around a bit by Beauty Eternal (Aus) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) down the back. He got going early while wide on the turn and finished off reasonably well, but too late to be fifth, 1 1/2 lengths adrift.

“It (victory) means everything, this horse was very important to the late Howard Liang,” said trainer Tony Cruz, who won the Queen's Silver Jubilee for the first time with the legendary Silent Witness (Aus) in 2005. “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.”

California Spangle and Voyage Bubble are set to be joined on the trip to Dubai by Straight Arron (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}, Dubai Turf) and Sight Success (Aus) (Magnus {Aus}), who will look to improve on his fourth-place effort in the 2023 Al Quoz. According to South China Morning Post, Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will contest the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic if connections are extended an invitation.

Pedigree Notes:

A half-brother to the late Wychwood Warrior, who was third in a listed stakes going 1400 metres on the turf at Meydan for this breeder and trainer Mick Halford in 2015, California Spangle is out of a half-sister to G2 Hungerford S. and G3 Solario S. winner Shakespearean (Ire) (Shamardal). California Spangle's third dam produced French Group 3 winner and G1 Pouliches runner-up Pont-Aven (Ire) (Try My Best), whose offspring include MGSW/MG1SP Sainte Marine (Ire) (Kenmare {Fr}), MGSW Josr Algarhound (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), SW & MGSP Traou Mad (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}) and SW & MGSP Cap Coz (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}).

Pearlitas Passion is also the dam of the unraced 4-year-old filly Alchimia (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) and a 2-year-old full-brother to California Spangle that was unsold on a bid of €400,000 at last year's Orby Sale.

 

 

 

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
QUEEN'S SILVER JUBILEE CUP-G1, HK$13,000,000, Sha Tin, 3-10, 3yo/up, 1400mT, 1:22.27, gd.
1–CALIFORNIA SPANGLE (IRE), g, 6, by Starspangledbanner (Aus)
1st Dam: Pearlitas Passion (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire)
2nd Dam: Paimpolaise (Ire), by Priolo
3rd Dam: Basilea (Fr), by Frere Basile (Fr)
(€150,000 Ylg '19 GOFOCT). O-The Executors of the Estate of the Late Howard Liang Yum Shing; B-Michael Enright; T-Tony Cruz; J-Brenton Avdulla; HK$7,280,000. Lifetime Record: 24-12-6-2, HK$68,945,300. *1/2 to Wychwood Warrior (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), MSP-Ire, SP-UAE. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Galaxy Patch (Aus), 126, g, 4, Wandjina (Aus)–Voltara (Aus), by More Than Ready. (A$50,000 Ylg '21 MMMAR). O-Yeung Kin Man; B-Summerset Park Stud (SA); T-Pierre Ng; J-Karis Teetan; HK$2,730,000. Gulinga Spirit
3–Red Lion (Ire), 126, g, 5, Belardo (Ire)–Crystal Idea (Ire), by Namid (GB). (€7,000 Ylg '20 TATDEC; £240,000 RNA HRA '2 GOFLON). O-The Hon Ronald Arculli GBM GBS JP & Johanna K J Arculli BBS; B-P Harney; T-John Size; J-Antoine Hamelin; HK$1,495,000. Fiach McHugh
Margins: 1, 1, 1. Odds: 10-1, 10-1, 17-1.
Also Ran: Beauty Eternal (Aus), Lucky Sweynesse (NZ), Healthy Happy (Aus), Beauty Joy (Aus), Taj Dragon (Ire), Lucky With You (Aus), Son Pak Fu (Aus). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing.

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