California Spangle Dubai-Bound After Second Group 1 Win

California Spangle (6g Starspangledbanner – Pearlitas Passion, by High Chaparral) recorded his second top-flight success on Sunday when making all to win the Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin.

The Tony Cruz-trained gelding finished second in last year’s running and faced the 2023 victor in Sunday’s field of ten. Partnered by Brenton Avdulla for the first time, he was ridden after the two furlong pole and kept on strongly to score by a length.

California Spangled was owned by the late Howard Liang, who was very much on Cruz’s mind after the race. “It means everything,” the trainer said. “This horse was very important to the late Howard Liang. He is the best horse Howard raced and the exciting part of today is that California Spangle had to perform to go to Dubai – and now he’s heading to Dubai and everybody is thrilled about it.”

California Spangle will be aimed at the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint, having recorded five of his career wins having come over sprint distances. Bred by Michael Enright, the son of Starspangledbanner boasts 12 wins overall, with six coming at Group level. Sunday’s valuable victory took his earnings past £6.5million.