King of Sparta Wins G2 Expressway

Tara Madgwick - Saturday February 17

Yarraman Park bred, sold and co-owned I Am Invincible gelding King of Sparta arrived at Randwick on Saturday with residual fitness in his favour after winning the $1million Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) last month and he duly took the prize in the Group II ATC Expressway Stakes (1200m).

King of Sparta wins the G2 Expressway Stakes - image Steve Hart

Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden and ridden by James McDonald, King Of Sparta settled back off a hot pace set by tearaway leader Malkovich and was able to close off hard late to win by  half a length from Coal Crusher with Malkovich holding on for third.

“He’s in great form and we’ve really got a good handle on him now and with him it’s less is more,” said Paul Snowden, who will now be looking to plot a course to the rich $5million Quokka(1200m) at Ascot on April 20.

“It’s a juggling act as to how to prepare him and get him over there in as good an order as we can. We’ll make that call in the next week and it may be just a trial. It’s exciting for the ownership group and the horse to be racing for that sort of money.”

Advertisement

King of Sparta was a $700,000 Magic Millions purchase.

A $700,000 yearling purchase for China Horse Club, Newgate Farm and Starlight Racing from Yarraman Park at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, King of Sparta was gelded after just four runs and his overall record is now eight wins and seven placings from 28 starts with prizemoney topping $3.3million.

After being gelded he had a change of ownership and King Of Sparta is now raced by a syndicate headed by Yarraman Park and is the best of four winners to date for Group III winning Holy Roman Emperor (IRE) mare Octavia, who is back in foal again to I Am Invincible.

Advertisment

Race Result - James Squire Expressway Stakes Gr2 1200m

Randwick Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:09.17
1
King Of Sparta
- 5g I Am Invincible (AUS) x Octavia (AUS) (Holy Roman Emperor (IRE))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: J B Mc Donald 57.5
I Am Invincible
2
0.5
Coal Crusher
- 6g Turffontein (AUS) x Media Academy (AUS) (Royal Academy (USA))
Tnr: Joseph Pride Rdr: Tyler Schiller 57.5
3
0.8
Malkovich
- 6g Choisir (AUS) x Mabkhara (AUS) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: J Parr 56
4
1.4
Buenos Noches
- 4h Supido (AUS) x Koi (AUS) (Northern Meteor (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: N Rawiller 57
5
3.8
Strait Acer
- 4g Headwater (AUS) x Money Wanted (AUS) (Wanted (AUS))
Tnr: Edward Cummings Rdr: Tommy Berry 56
6
4.7
West Of Dalby
- 3f Santos (AUS) x Chinchilla (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Benjamin Smith Rdr: Brock Ryan 51
7
5.5
Golden Mile
- 4h Astern (AUS) x Calaverite (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Zac Lloyd 57.5
More Reading...
Four Winners for Dennis
Local trainer Robert Dennis won half of the eight-race card at Ascot Park on Friday, culminating with a special win by Sir Sterling in the Vale Tony Dennis (1400m).
Yarraman Park Celebrate King of Sparta MM Sprint Victory
Yarraman Park bred, sold and co-owned King of Sparta captured the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas last year and was back for another big win at the Gold Coast on Thursday winning the $1million Magic Millions Sprint (1200m).
King Of Sparta Electric in Falvelon Quality
A high-priced son of I Am Invincible, King Of Sparta was gelded after failing to win in his first four starts at two.
King Of Sparta Wins Bletchingly For I Am Invincible
I Am Invincible three-year-old King Of Sparta was too strong for the older horses with a determined win in the Bletchingly Stakes (Gr.3) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Mogumber Park hoists wet sail with Marine One
This time last year, the first foals by Mogumber Park stallion Marine One were widely regarded as some of the best types on the ground in Western Australia.
King of Sparta Loves the Gold Coast!
Yarraman Park bred, sold and co-owned I Am Invincible gelding King of Sparta captured the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas in 2022, the Magic Millions Sprint in 2023 and returned to the Gold Coast on Saturday to do it all again scoring a commanding win in the $1million Magic Millions Snippets (!200m).
2YO Stakes Racing – Sale Mail
Three stakes races for new season juveniles add plenty of interest to a stellar day of racing this Saturday in Sydney and Melbourne, so let’s take a look at the Sale Mail for these races.
Kiwi Sires a Recipe for NZB Ready to Run Sale Success
Much of the NZB Ready to Run Sale’s extraordinary success has been underpinned by the stallions that have stood in New Zealand in recent decades.
Recent success highlights Inglis Digital October (Early) Sale
A range of exciting racing and breeding prospects – as well as a number of in-form racehorses and shares in Stakes winners – headline the Inglis Digital October (Early) Online Sale.
New Stakes-Winner for Zoustar
The $150,000 Listed Hannan’s Handicap (1400m) provided reigning champion sire Zoustar with a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding Multinational led for home and could not be caught.