Caption: Mark Delbridge’s Zipping Rambo pips a fast-finishing Stanley Road to win the 2021 Sandown Cup

Group 1 Sapphire Crown

(515m) Sandown. Best 32 females.

Heats May 13. Final May 19

$100,000 to the winner

 

Group 1 Harrison-Dawson

(515m) Sandown. Best 32 males.

Heats May 13. Final May 19

$100,000 to the winner

BY DAVID BRASCH

WHILE the Group 1 Sandown Cup, boasting $175,000 as a winner’s purse, is naturally the big attraction, May carnival racing at Sandown also will feature two important Group 1 events for sprinters.

They are the time-honoured Sapphire Crown for bitches and the Harrison Dawson for males.

But what stands these races apart from many, many others is not that they are supporting events. They are standalone races that attract superstars.

In fact, don’t bother coming unless your dog is in that class.

To back up this statement, just check out recent winners of both Group 1 events.

The Harrison Dawson has been won in recent times by Tiggerlong Tonk, Simon Told Helen, Orson Allen, My Redeemer, Black Mumbo, Dundee Osprey and the legend Fernando Bale.

Check this out for some class.

Between them, those seven won 213 races and earned $5.067 million.

The Sapphire Crown’s recent list of winners is Qwara Bale, Black Opium, Neo Cleo, Elevated, Maja Mahi Mahi, Narralee, Lamia Bale, Oakvale Destiny and the great Xylia Allen.

And, the bitches are not to be denied either.

Between them, they won 209 races and earned $3.112 million.

The Sandown Cup stands alone as one of the great staying races of all time.

Think back to legend Bold Trease winning four in a row.

But, the Harrison Dawson and Sapphire Crown match the Cup with class.

The list of recent greats to have won them proves that.