Al Quoz Sprint: Amber Sky leads all the way

Amber Sky, a Group 1 winner in Hong Kong in January, proved his status as a world-class turf sprinter with an impressive win in Saturday’s $1 million Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan.

Ridden by Joao Moreira, Amber Sky led throughout the five-furlong turf race and held off threats from Ahtoug and the 6-5 favorite Shea Shea in the final yards. Amber Sky, the 5-2 second choice, was timed in 56.21 seconds.

Amber Sky won by a neck over Ahtoug, who finished a head in front of Shea Shea.

Shea Shea won the 2013 Al Quoz Sprint and a local prep race March 8, the Group 3 Meydan Sprint. Ridden by Christophe Soumillon, Shea Shea was at the back of the field for the first quarter-mile and closed to well to finish third.[bc_video_id:319788:]

Ahtoug, second to Shea Shea in the Meydan Sprint, was ridden in the Al Quoz Sprint by Mikael Barzalona, who lost his whip with about a quarter-mile remaining. Berlino di Tiger, sixth in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint on Feb. 1, finished 11th of 12.

Amber Sky, a 5-year-old gelding by Exceed and Excel, was bred in Australia. Owned by Hung Kam Po and trained by Ricky Yiu, Amber Sky has won 7 of 14 starts and $1,561,953.

The Al Quoz Sprint was Amber Sky’s third win in his last four starts. He won the $180,600 Albatross Handicap over five furlongs at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong last October and won the Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup, worth $772,800, on Jan. 26 at Sha Tin.