PATIENCE KEY TO LUCKY SWEYNESSE'S COMEBACK

Ex-World's Best Sprinter to face incumbent Ka Ying Rising in Gl Chairman's Sprint Prize

- Michael Lee

The proof that Hong Kong is the cradle of some of the world's best sprinters could not have been better showcased in the Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) at the FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on April 27.

David Hayes' Ka Ying Rising will start as the overwhelming favourite to land the spoils, while cementing his status as the World's Best Sprinter in 2025 against a Japanese four-pronged attack headed by Satono Reve.

But that mantle is not exclusive to just the 12-time winner in the HK$22 million (S$3.7 million) feature. The Shamexpress four-year-old will be sharing the stage with his predecessor, 2024 World's Best Sprinter Lucky Sweynesse.

Clearly, the feature is not being billed as a clash to find out who is the "Best of the Best" between the old and the new.

The main priority for the Cheng family, who bought Lucky Sweynesse as a Ready-To-Run 2YO from the Karaka sale in New Zealand, is the completion of a great comeback story from the horse.

Winner of the 2023 renewal of the Chairman's Sprint Prize and anointed as Hong Kong's champion sprinter in the 2022/23 season, Lucky Sweynesse last won the Group 2 Sprint Cup (1,200m) on April 7, 2024.

But victory came at a price. The now six-year-old was sidelined from races for more than a year, during which time he underwent left-fore fetlock surgery.

After two impressive winning trials recently, the Manfred Man-trained Sweynesse gelding will bid for a second Chairman's Sprint Prize win and fifth Group 1 win.

Cheng clan leader and veteran owner Cheng Ming-leung praised Man for his patience in nurturing their pride and joy back to full racing fitness.

"As a racehorse owner, patience is the key and we always have high hopes for our horse," said Cheng to the Hong Kong Jockey Club website. "Though he had to be sidelined for a long time, he recovered well and all along, his situation was very stable, we kept the faith that he will return to race one day.