Hope sprints to the top

Cape Of Good Hope leapt to the top of the Global Sprint Challenge when storming to victory in the second leg of the series today.

The seven-year-old, trained in Hong Kong by David Oughton, took the Group One Timbercorp Australia Stakes over six furlongs at Moonee Valley by a length and three-quarters from Super Elegant. Spark Of Life a further three-quarters of a length away in third.

Cape Of Good Hope is the first international runner to win at Moonee Valley and his rider Brett Prebble paid tribute to the British-born trainer.

“David gets this horse to peak each time, every time,” said Prebble.

Cape of Good Hope has a handy lead in the six-leg series having already amassed a total of 28 points.

He had collected eight points in the series following his third in the TEAC Lightning Stakes two weeks ago in the first of Australia’s two legs and has received double points for racing outside his jurisdiction.

He is now set to contest the two Royal Ascot legs at York in the summer and was placed in both the King’s Stand Stakes and the Golden Jubilee Stakes last season.

The final two legs will take place in Japan in the autumn.