Lucky break lands Sacred Empire the Cup

PENANG:  Dec 29, 2019
 

Jockey Wong Kam Chong, who was indisposed at the last minute and missed out on winning the Coronation Cup on SACRED EMPIRE last month, made up for the disappointment when he partnered the gelding to win the Yang Di Pertua Negeri Gold Cup here today.

But he needed a huge dose of luck to achieve the victory.

BLACK THORN (Bernando Pinheiro) and D'GREAT TIMING (Jose De Souza) made a break round the home bend and fought stride-for-stride all the way to the line.

SACRED EMPIRE, who was off the pace early, picked them up with every stride in the final 200m and just managed to pip D'GREAT TIMING to second spot with BLACK THORN first across the line.

De Souza filed a protest against the winner for interference in the final 400m and it was upheld. SACRED EMPIRE was therefore promoted to first place and BLACK THORN relegated to third. It was a huge disappointment for Pinheiro who flew in from the UAE specially for the race and BLACK THORN was his only ride for the day.

SACRED EMPIRE thus became the first horse since BALLISTIC in 2000 to achieve the Coronation Cup-Gold Cup double. The first horse to land the double was CONFIDENCE V in 1996, although the 2001 Gold Cup winner CONFLUENCE went on to win the Coronation Cup twice in 2002 and 2003.

  RESULTS AT A GLANCE:   Tote No / Horse / Trainer / Jockey / Position
 

1 

 CLASS 5 - 1100M
8 CHERON WARRIOR T Asogan SU Lim

1
  (5 br.nz.g Shamoline Warrior - Shezabella by Van Nistelrooy)  
2 Mai Darko R Lines L De Souza

2
5 Hallelujah B Ng Yusri

3
10 Hennessy Dragon S Shanmugam J Daniel

4
 

2

 CLASS 5 -1400M
6 INDOMITABLE SPEED E Breukelen SU Lim

1
  (4 b.a.g Oratorio (AUS) - This Is Right by Right Wing)  
8 Sing Darci K Coetzee KC Wong

2
2 Nova Dashing S Siva AK Lim

3
3 Elite Rocket BT Lim HS Gill

4
 

3

 BANDED 51-74 - 1300M
2 METIER STAR R Lines L De Souza

1
  (7 br.a.g Stryker - Unblemnished by Danzero)  
3 Silver Wind E Breukelen R Rueven

2
10  MacArthur S Shanmugam J Daniel

3
6 Terms Of Reference S Hamilton Salee

4
 

4

 RESTRICTED MAIDEN (WFA) - 1100M
5 MAESTRO ECLIPSE Maynard KC Wong

1
  (3 br.nz.g Showcasing - Alisara by Zafonic)  
9 Trudy S Hamilton Salee

2
8 D'Great Love R Lines R Rueven

3
3 Baghdad S Hamilton Yusri

4
 

5

 CLASS 4 - 1400M
7 MULTIBLUE TOSCA S Cook I Firdzriel

1
  (6 ch.a.g Captain Sonador - Kai Anna by Anglia)  
3 Gloria Maris SY Lim AK Lim

2
2 Awatere S Hamilton L De Souza

3
4 World Harmony K Coetzee S Saddam

4
 

6

 YANG DI PERTUA NEGERI GOLD CUP - 2000M
OPEN (SW) - 2000M
5 SACRED EMPIRE Maynard KC Wong

1
(7 br.nz.g More Than Ready - Danalaga by Danehill)
3 D'Great Timing Maynard J De Souza

2
6 Black Thorn SY Lim B Pinheiro

3
4 Davinci K Coetzee HS Gill

4
 

7

 CLASS 4 - 1400M
12 IPOH DASH E Breukelen Goon

1
  (4 b.a.g Universal Ruler - Allfores by Zeditave)  
6 Nevertheless S Siva J Daniel

2
13 Moonshine Mistress S Edwards AK Lim

3
11 Tongariro Robert L De Souza

4
 

8

 CLASS 5 - 1400M
11 MYSTICAL STAR Robert S Hafis

1
  (6 b.a.g Fastnet Rock - Lady Of Spain by Encosta De Lago)  
4 Overseer S Hamilton KC Wong

2
6 BM Power B Ng CT Lee

3
2 Artemister S Cook P Mogun

4