HKIR Flashback: Sunline & Fairy King Prawn

Over the next week or so as this year's event approaches Dec. 10, Alan Carasso will take a look back at his top six moments in the history of the Hong Kong International Races. The irrepressible two-time G1 Cox Plate winner Sunline made a second trip to Hong Kong for the 2000 Mile and locked horns with local hero Fairy King Prawn in a race no fan of Hong Kong racing will ever forget.

#1 SUNLINE/FAIRY KING PRAWN – 2000 Hong Kong Mile

When Sunline (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}) made her second appearance at the international races in 2000 on the heels of a second straight win in the G1 Cox Plate, she did so with a little something to prove. Well beaten by Jim and Tonic (Fr) (Double Bed {Fr}) as the Cup favourite in 1999, Sunline cut back in trip for the 2000 Mile and a clash with Fairy King Prawn (Aus) (Danehill), the face of Hong Kong racing and winner of the inaugural Sprint in 1999. What followed over the next 94 seconds was an epic us-versus-them battle that remains arguably the most dramatic race in HKIR history. Ridden for speed by Greg Childs, Sunline easily found her way to the front from gate nine and ambled along through an opening 400 metres in :25 flat. Fairy King Prawn settled behind midfield and off the track, having been done no favours by the slow early tempo and his draw one from the outside in 13. Allowed to roll on the far turn, Sunline was well in hand turning for home, with her chief protagonist making ground, but still well behind off the home turn. Sunline was still clear into the final eighth of a mile, but Fairy King Prawn quickly cut into the margin and the stage was set. With Childs asking her for everything, Sunline reached for the wire and just got home as Fairy King Prawn needed one more jump (video). In a remarkable twist of fate, the two met again in the G1 Dubai Duty Free S. three months later, but Jim and Tonic proved a neck better than a controversially ridden Fairy King Prawn with Sunline a further half-length in arrears in third.