Silent Witness tops in Hong Kong

The brilliant undefeated sprinter Silent Witness was named Hong Kong's Horse of the Year for the 2003-04 season at the Hong Kong Jockey Club Champion Awards on Saturday night.

The winner of 11 races, Silent Witness, a gelding trained by Tony Cruz, was also named Hong Kong's champion sprinter for beating an international field in the Hong Kong Sprint. Silent Witness swept the Champion Sprint Series with victories in the Bahunia Sprint Trophy, Centenary Sprint Cup, and the Chairman's Sprint Prize.

Rated the world's best turf sprinter, Silent Witness is a 5-year-old Australian-bred son of El Moxie owned by Arthur Antonio and Betty da Silva. He will remain in training next season for another crack at the Hong Kong Sprint on Dec. 12.

Lucky Owners, the winner of the Hong Kong Mile and the Hong Kong Derby who was recently sent to stud in Australia, was named champion miler, and the Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner, River Dancer, took the honors as Hong Kong's best middle distance horse.