Karaka Graduate Defeats Good Ba Ba and Sacred Kingdom in Hong Kong

Karaka graduate Egyptian Ra beat Hong Kong Horse of the Year Good Ba Ba and last season's world's highest rated turf sprinter Sacred Kingdom on Sunday evening when leading all the way in the Group 1 HKJC Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m).

Egyptian Ra (Woodborough - Egyptian Queen, by Kariori Lad) was presented at the start of the Group 1 feature by an ultra confident Tony Cruz who had nursed his charge to cherry-ripe fitness after a minor joint injury. The front running specialist was reunited with jockey Felix Coetzee, who was especially flown in from South Africa for the engagement, and a successful decision it proved to be when at the winning post Hong Kong commentator Darren Flindell excitedly rattled off, "Egyptian Ra leads all the way, the magic of Felix Coetzee."

Egyptian Ra had run his opponents ragged, beating Good Ba Ba by three quarters of a length, fellow Kiwi Fellowship (O'Reilly) by two and a half lengths, and the rest of the field including Armada, Sacred Kingdom, Joy and Fun, Green Birdie, and Enthused by four lengths or more.

The win was his seventh in Hong Kong, but his first at Group 1 level though he has placed three times at the elite level, twice in New Zealand as a two-year-old in the Ellerslie and Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes, and once in Hong Kong in the Hong Kong Mile. His total Hong Kong earnings are now HK$13, 824,250 (NZ$3,364,986) for his owner Cheng Keung Fai.

A half-brother to Group 1 ARC Railway handicap winner Egyptian Raine (Desert Sun), Egyptian Ra was offered at the 2003 Karaka Select Sale by Hamilton-based Canterbury Park Farm.  

Egyptian Ra was one of five NZB graduates to win at Sha Tin on Sunday's Group 1 card. Curraghmore Stud where represented by South Island Sale graduate Good Luck Win and National Weanling Sale graduate Johnson, while Little Avondale Stud and Waikato Stud were represented by National Yearling Sale graduates in Super Bobo and Forest Star respectively.