HONG KONG: Britain's unfancied Snow Fairy galloped to a narrow victory in the Hong Kong Cup Sunday, the richest of four meetings at the eight-million-US-dollar Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races. Top jockey Ryan Moore pulled of a surprise win in the 2,000-meter race, edging out Hong Kong's Irian by a nose with Olivier Doleuze riding Packing Winner to a third-place finish. Last year's winner Vision D'Etat grabbed fourth spot. “On the top of the bend I thought I had no chance,” Moore said after the race, which has a purse of 20 million Hong Kong dollars (2.6 million US dollars). “Snow Fairy is very special. She's an absolute machine to do what she did today.” The prestigious annual event, which includes four major races on a turf track, is one of the world's richest meetings, putting it in the company of America's Triple Crown, the Dubai World Cup and Britain's Royal Ascot. A crowd of about 55,000 packed the Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong's high-rise suburbs to watch some of the world's top thoroughbreds. Frankie Dettori rode Mastery to a two-and-a-half-length victory in the 2,400-meter Vase, outpacing Britain's Redwood and Melbourne Cup winner Americain, which finished a disappointing third. South Africa's JJ The Jet Plane pulled off a big win in the 1,200-metre Sprint, edging out Singapore's Rocket Man and champion sprinter Sacred Kingdom, which grabbed third. Beauty Flash took the Hong Kong Mile, outlasting France's Royal Bench and third-placed Sahpresa, ridden by jockey Christophe Lemaire. – Agence France
