California Memory wins the Cup under Matthew Chadwick.[/caption]
California Memory (2013)
Neil Callan celebrates Blazing Speed‘s 2014 success.[/caption]
Helene Super Star gets his day in the sun under Douglas Whyte.[/caption]
Helene Super Star (2015)
Pakistan Star and Tommy Berry see off Exultant.[/caption]
Pakistan Star (2018)
Exultant dominates under Zac Purton.[/caption]
Exultant (2019)
Best of the rest behind Pakistan Star in 2018 was stablemate Exultant, a young talent who was then still finding his feet on the Hong Kong circuit. One year on, he was the dominant stayer, having landed the Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) and placed an unlucky second to Japan’s Win Bright in the Group 1 FWD QEII Cup.
Exultant galloped relentlessly down the home straight under a driving Zac Purton, battling past Pakistan Star to lead with 150m to go and then maintaining his momentum to repel the fast-finishing Rise High.
“He’s a real turf galloper, he loves the mile and a half,” Cruz says. “The first year he ran in it, he was only a four-year-old but last year you could see he was stronger, more mature, and he was easily the best horse. He’s in good form again this season, he’s the champion stayer, so I can see him winning it again.”