King of Sparta moved his career earnings to within a whisker of AUD1,500,000 when he staved off all challenges to secure his first graded stakes win in the AUD200,000 G3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Melbourne’s Caulfield Racecourse on Saturday.
The victory extended a run of success for China Horse Club and partners, coming just hours after Let Her Inspire U continued her rise through the ranks in the United States with a slick near four length win in an Allowance race at Saratoga, a week after Oseleta saluted in New Zealand, a fortnight after Surf Dancer won his entry into the inaugural running of the AUD2,000,000 Big Dance on Melbourne Cup Day and three weeks after Life Is Good’s imperious return in the G2 John A. Nerud Stakes.
The triumph was a rewarding one for connections of King of Sparta who has always hinted that he is a high-quality sprinter. He franked that assessment when victorious in the AUD2,000,000 Magic Millions 3YO Guineas last January and may build upon his curriculum vitae further this spring with trainers Peter and Paul Snowden certain to place him to effect.
“[King of Sparta] is a horse you’ve got to keep on the bridle and stoked up, but the rest was left up to Jye (jockey Jye McNeil) after that,” said the Snowden’s stable foreman Andrew Angelone.
“He jumped well, put him in a great position and it opened up and you could tell a long way out he looked like he’d be pretty hard to beat.”
Let Her Inspire U also looks to be on a positive trajectory. The Todd Pletcher trained filly has only raced on five occasions and has continued to improve with each outlining and now has a race record of two wins in her last two appearances as well as two placings.
Let Her Inspire U came from off the pace with a sweeping run to round up her rivals early in the straight before racing away to win in impressive fashion under champion jockey John Velazquez.
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