Sha Tin: California Spangle begins season in Celebration Cup Handicap

California Spangle, who could emerge as one of Hong Kong’s best horses, makes his first start of the 2022-23 Hong Kong racing season in the featured Celebration Cup Handicap on Sunday at Sha Tin.

California Spangle ran in all three legs of the 4-year-old classic series last season, winning the Classic Cup over 1,800 meters and finishing second to Romantic Warrior in the Classic Mile and the 2000-meter Hong Kong Derby.

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He races Sunday over 1,400 meters and trainer Tony Cruz said earlier this week that he suspects California Spangle will wind up in sprint stakes later this season rather than in one-mile races. California Spangle ended last season with a second-place finish behind Hong Kong’s best horse, Golden Sixty, who excels at a mile.

* Joao Moreira, who stages seasonal battles with Zac Purton for leading jockey in Hong Kong, is out of action with a persistent hip injury. The Hong Kong Jockey Club in a press release earlier this week said stewards had met with Moreira following the Wednesday night card at Happy Valley.

The release said Moreira was “stood down” because of the hip problem “until further notice.” Moreira didn’t ride the first two cards of the ongoing Hong Kong season and, according to the South China Morning Post, had off-season surgery after returning to his native Brazil.

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