Silent Witness improves to 16-0, ties mark

Horse matches Ribot, Cigar, Citation with Hong Kong win

	Jockey Felix Coetzee rides Silent Witness to victory in the Chairman's Sprint Prize at Shatin race track in Hong Kong on Sunday.
Bobby Yip / Reuters

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updated 12:38 p.m. ET April 4, 2005

Silent Witness has etched his name along those of the greatest horses in racing history by running his unblemished record to 16 victories in 16 starts by winning the Group 1 Chairman’s Spring Prize at Hong Kong’s Sha Tin racetrack on Sunday.

The streak of 16 straight victories equals the record set by Silent Witness’ ancestor, Ribot, a half century ago in Europe and the modern North American mark shared by Cigar and Citation.

In winning the race, Silent Witness swept the three legs of the Champion Sprint Series for the second year in a row, earning his connections a bonus of $2 million Hong Kong (about $256,000 U.S.) and bring his total earnings to more than $45 million Hong Kong (nearly $5.79 million U.S.).

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Winning time for the 1,200 meter race (6 furlongs) was 1:08.4, equaling the track record.

Trained by former jockey Tony Cruz, Silent Witness Silent Witness jumped quickly out of gate 13 and raced three lengths off the pace in fifth in the early running. After edging closer entering the straight, he eased to the lead with 300 meters to run and forged clear under Felix Coetzee to score by a length and three quarters from Tiber to deafening cheers of approval from the crowd of 33,000.

"Amazing. He just switched off. They tried to ease the tempo in front on the turn, but I didn't let him break his stride and he just cruised up there, and away he went," Coetzee said afterward.

Silent Witness will next stretch out to 1,400 meters (7 furlongs) for the first time in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (Group 2) on April 24.

Later in the year, Silent Witness’ connections have indicated they would like to stretch the horse out to a mile, with a possible goal of a start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Oct. 29 at Belmont Park.