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20.
Choisir Does It For
Australia
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18/6/2003 |
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Australia got one back on Europe on the opening day of the Royal Ascot festival
when crack sprinter Choisir pulled off an unexpected win in the Group 2 King's
Stand Stakes against the cream of UK sprinters.
A small but vocal Australian contingent led by trainer Paul Perry cheered home
the Danehill Dancer colt at odds of 25/1.
"Sensational. A great thrill to be here today and do it. One of the
greatest thrills you could have in your life," Perry said after the win
that will give Australia plenty to cheer about as a get square for seeing
northern hemisphere stayers win the Melbourne Cup twice in the last decade.
Perry has been training for 30 years and has prepared over 2000 winners. He has
raced horses in Hong Kong, Dubai and New Zealand but took on his biggest
challenge when he sent Choisir to England three weeks ago for a shot at Royal
Ascot’s premier sprint races.
Perry explained that the plan to run at Royal Ascot was hatched when the
Krisflyer Sprint in Singapore was called off because of the SARS outbreak last
month.
"When Singapore was called off we decided to take it on," he said
"I thought that maybe his Group One penalty might have made a bit of
difference. He was above himself and the run will have done him good."
Choisir, who carried the equal topweight and was disadvantaged of giving age to
his rivals as an Australian-bred three-year-old, is now poised to back up on
Saturday in the G1 Golden Jubilee Stakes providing he pleases Perry over the
next 48 hours.
"He's a big, strong horse. The drop in weight without the penalty will
definitely be in his favour," Perry said.
Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh had Choisir in front from the jump and he set a
scorching pace from Hong Kong sprinter Firebolt and Captain Rio, with the 6-1
favourite Oasis Dream close behind.
Choisir lengthened with a furlong to run and comfortably held on to win by a
length from the fast-finishing 16-1 shot Acclamation with Oasis Dream third, a
length and a half away.
? While Choisir, started at 25/1 betting exchange Betfair was matched at a
widest price of 47/1 and was on offer at 31/1 at the start.
A total of 45,000 pounds was matched on Choisir out of a total on the race of
just short of 600,000 pounds.
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