California Spangle will chase consecutive wins in the HK$5.35 million G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (15 October).
Aiming to become the race’s fourth dual winner after Silver Lining (1978 & 1981), Right Way (1992 & 1996) and Beauty Generation (2017 & 2018), the Group 1-winning California Spangle links with jockey Hugh Bowman as trainer Tony Cruz’s popular on-pacer makes his highly anticipated return after finishing third behind Golden Sixty last April at Sha Tin.
Bowman rides the Irish-bred for the first time this weekend, while Zac Purton – who has won seven times aboard California Spangle – is atop emerging talent Beauty Eternal, a dual Group 3 winner, who capped a sparkling first term with seven wins from 10 starts.
“I said all last season that the thing I was missing in my repertoire was a top-line horse and this could well be the one. His form is excellent, obviously Zac was in a position where he had to go one way or another, but the phone call came and I was happy to take the reins,” Bowman said.
Famed for partnerships with Winx, Werther, Samantha Miss and many more, Bowman hopped aboard California Spangle in a barrier trial on 3 October at Sha Tin where the pair finished second in a time of 1m 10.41s behind Dream Winner over 1200m on dirt.
“He has an excellent racing pattern and what I was inclined to be happy about in the trial is that I felt like he had a lot more to give me and I feel like he could be a horse like that. You’re probably never at the bottom of him, but I’m going to know a lot more after the race than what I do before. His form’s there for everyone to see, his record is consistent and it’s right up there with the best horses in Hong Kong and abroad – let’s see,” Bowman said.