Silent Witness goes for 16

Silent Witness has been set a task in Sunday's Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize at Sha Tin, where he will go after his 16th career victory without a loss.

Success in the $576,900 dash would equal the modern records of Citation and Cigar for consecutive victories. Two factors have arisen that will make the job of Silent Witness, a Tony Cruz-trained son of El Moxie, a little more difficult than usual.

First is that Silent Witness is stepping up to six furlongs following four consecutive starts over Sha Tin's straight five-furlong course. More importantly, he has drawn post 13 in a field of 14 runners in a race that is run around a single right-handed turn with a relatively short run to the bend.

Silent Witness is so talented he should be able to overcome both obstacles. He won this race last year by 3 1/4 lengths over Cape of Good Hope, who challenges again from post 10.

To be ridden as usual by Felix Cortzee, Silent Witness will also be facing uncoupled stablemates Country Music and Multidandy, who were second and third behind him last time out in the Centenary Sprint Cup on Feb. 27.

Winning the Chairman's Sprint Prize would also give Silent Witness his second successive sweep of the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Champion Sprint Series.