The Gr1 Singapore Airlines International will be run on the same programme as the Krisflyer International Sprint on Sunday 18 May at Kranji. South Africa has a multi-pronged interest in this year’s race day with the son of Oratorio, Military Attack hoping to defend his crown in the SIA Cup. South African Pat Shaw also saddles 2 runners in the day’s features, with Slew Of Lode in the Krisflyer International Sprint and Johnny Guitar in the SIA Cup.
The inaugural Singapore Airlines International Cup (SIA Cup) was held on March 4, 2000, in conjunction with the official opening of the new Singapore Racecourse at Kranji. With a purse of S$3 million up for grabs, the race, unsurprisingly, attracted some of the best horses from the four corners of the globe. In a finish that will go down on record as one of the most remarkable milestones in Singapore’s horse racing history, the first edition went to a locally-trained, Ouzo. The New Zealand-bred by Oregon did Singapore proud by producing an astounding turn of foot to deny Jim And Tonic victory by a neck. To this day, Ouzo remains the only locally-trained horse to have captured the SIA Cup.
2014 SIA Cup Draws
In the subsequent 12 editions (the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak forced the cancellation in 2003) winners hailing from the four corners of the globe have flashed past the Kranji winning post as the race has grown in stature.
The race was awarded International Gr1 status in 2001 and the following year nominated as the third leg of the now defunct World Series Racing Championship.
There have been 13 individual winners from nine different countries (Singapore, England, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Australia, Japan, South Africa, France and Hong Kong) adding their names to the honour roll. Among them, Grandera (2002) and Epalo (2004) are the only two SIA Cup winners to have gone on to win the World Champion title under the World Series Racing Championship series.
After 13 years of trying, Hong Kong finally found success in the SIA Cup when Military Attack became the first horse from the former British colony to land the elusive trophy in a thumping three-and-a-quarter-length win. The victory was sheer delight for multiple Hong Kong champion trainer John Moore, who had come agonisingly close on several previous occasions.
This year’s field of 12 will face the starter at 14:40 local time.
KrisFlyer International Sprint
2014 KrisFlyer International Sprint draws
The $1 million KrisFlyer International Sprint made a much-awaited comeback to the Singapore racecourse in 2008 after a six-year hiatus. In 2001, the race, previously known as the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Sprint, was launched as the sprint “spin-off” of the Singapore Airlines International Cup for three-year-olds and upwards. The 1200m race did not fail to provide racing enthusiasts with thrilling results in the two editions staged.
Iron Mask, the French three-year-old speed machine from the famous Criquette Head yard, defeated local hope Trillion Win to become the inaugural winner. The next year Australia’s North Boy set the bar even higher by trouncing his opponents in record time.
On the return of the revamped race in 2008, Australasian breeding continued to dominate the race, albeit through products representing various countries. Australia picked up where it left off when legendary sprinter Takeover Target won the 2008 edition, followed by Hong Kong (twice) with New Zealand-bred Green Birdie taking out the 2010 edition when it was first afforded International Group 1 status.
The race obtained further recognition when it became part of the Global Sprint Challenge in 2011, which was also the year when local superstar Rocket Man became the first locally-trained sprinter to capture the event after seconds in the previous two editions, firstly behind Sacred Kingdom in 2009 and then Green Birdie.
Hong Kong made headlines in last year’s edition when Lucky Nine finally secured his first International Group 1 win on foreign soil. The sprint stalwart also handed a second win for both trainer Caspar Fownes and jockey Brett Prebble, who had previously landed the coveted sprint race with Green Birdie and Sacred Kingdom respectively.
A field of 10 will face the starter at 13:50 local time for this year’s edition with Lucky Nine champion has drawn well to defend his title.
For audio interviews with the day’s trainers, please click here
