As King of Sparta fended off rivals at Royal Randwick’s Kensington Racecourse the lightly raced gelding tallied up the 700th win for the China Horse Club since it commenced racing in 2013.
Like an odometer on a race car, winners have ticked over with unerring regularity across Australia, Canada, China, England, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the United States for the internationally focused club. And no longer had the high watermark been reached, the focus was clearly set at the benchmark of 1,000 winners.
“It is a tremendous result for the Club and all involved with it. The achievement of 700 winners is a demonstration of consistent excellence and recognizes the dedication of all within the group for the roles they play and the execution of the exceptional trainers and jockeys we work with every day,” said Eden Harrington, Vice President of the China Horse Club.
“But this is a moment in time. The China Horse Club focuses on big races, big goals, big targets. The target now is clearly to reach 1,000 wins and to continue achieving success in elite races the world over.”
King of Sparta’s triumph comes:
- 3024 days after the China Horse Club’s first runner, Scarlet Moretta, debuted as a winner;
- 2790 days after its maiden G1 win in the Singapore Gold Cup (Tropaios);
- 2559 days after Australia’s breath-taking success in the world’s most famous race, The Derby;
- 1036 days since Justify’s momentous U.S. Triple Crown triumph;
Interspersed among the 700 wins accumulated in just over 99 months are no less than 37 G1 wins – a stunning achievement that has superseded the initial aspirations of the Club when it was first taking shape. This total has been powered by Abel Tasman (5 G1s), Justify (4 G1s), Improbable (4 G1s), Dissident (4 G1s), Australia (3 G1), Russian Revolution (2 G1s), Yoshida (2 G1s), Madison County (2 G1s) and a succession of other G1 winners and stakes winners.
“The Club has some exceptional talent on its books right now, there really is a lot to be excited about and there is every reason to be positive about the possibility of building on that G1 tally this season,” said Michael Wallace, Chief Operating Officer of the China Horse Club.
“The future is wonderfully exciting for the China Horse Club. It will be a story worth watching and even more enjoyable to be a part of.”
If you would like to learn more about the China Horse Club exclusive membership offer, please email your inquiry to horses@chinahorseclub.com.