Simulcast of Japan's Sprinters Stakes through the Diamond Vision Screen at Happy Valley Racecourse.

Race Replay(Audio)

The inaugural running of Sprinters Stakes took place in 1967 when it was the only Group race for three-year-olds and up over 1,200 metres. It was originally formulated as a trial for Yasuda Kinen in June (won this year by Hong Kong's Fairy King Prawn), but it has long since grown in stature, forcing the Japanese Racing Association to alter with its class and timing.

In 1990, the Sprinters Stakes was made a Group 1 contest and given a December slot just a week before the Arima Kinen. Foreign-bred entries were permitted in 1994 and this is the first year in which the race is being run in October.

Not the Best performance as Daitaku Yamato surprises

Best Of The Best's disappointing, never-a-factor 15th of 16 starters at Nakayama was not genuine characteristic of the horse which has thrilled racing fans in Hong Kong for so long.

While it is true that the gelding was never once prominent in the race, consideration should be taken that the rain-affected ground was absolutely not in his favour.

Masa Lucky and a hard-driven Daitaku Yamato made the early gallop and had stretched the field by a couple of lengths as they entered the straight. The former dropped away while the latter kept on galloping up Nakayama's short, stiff run-in. The surprising thing was how few arrows flew from the quiver in behind at the outsider winner - when they did come in the shape of Agnes World, Black Hawk and Broad Appeal it was too late. Daitaku Yamato had stunned almost everyone to hang on for a one-and-a-quarter-lengths success.