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Originally Posted by brockguy
isnt sacred kingdom rated at least as high as Silent Witness??
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As high, and there are people who aren't happy about it.
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SCMP.....
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Kingdom the equal of Witness, but not Andretti
ALAN AITKEN
Sacred Kingdom's brilliant Sprint victory has seen him equal Silent Witness' international mark of 123. Photos: Kenneth Chan
The world's handicappers have officially sanctioned Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint winner Sacred Kingdom on a figure equal to the best achieved by the great Silent Witness, but stopped short of agreeing he is the world champion.
The rating of 123, foreshadowed by Jockey Club chief handicapper Nigel Gray after last Sunday's international meeting, has been confirmed after the annual gathering of handicappers this week in Hong Kong and is the highest rating listed.
However, Australia's Miss Andretti was left on 120, which includes a four-pound allowance for her being female, so her rating remains 124 in effect and she is still the world champion sprinter.
Ricky Yiu Poon-fie's Sacred Kingdom's mark is equal to the peak achieved by Silent Witness when he dominated the rankings for more than two years. It continues Hong Kong's strong influence at the top of the sprinting category, after Fairy King Prawn, Silent Witness and Absolute Champion were all ranked as the world's leading or joint-top turf sprinter.
The elevation of Yiu's sprinter is the fourth time in the past five years that the Sprint winner has been given a high mark.
Hong Kong Mile hero Good Ba Ba has also been elevated from his prior rating of 115 to an international mark of 119 after his defeat of 118-rated Creachadoir, with the Godolphin horse remaining on that mark.
Viva Pataca has remained in the world's top 20 on 122 after his unlucky defeat by 123-rated Godolphin horse Ramonti, who stays on 123.
The Vase winner Doctor Dino has been raised to 119 from 117, while runner-up Quijano remains on a 119 assessment.