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Vital King – Second G1 Winner for Almutawakel	20 Mar 2007



One of the most coveted races on the Hong Kong racing calendar fell the way of another New Zealand-bred on Sunday when Vital King (NZ) (Almutawakel) stormed home to run down race favourite Floral Pegasus (Aus) (Fusaichi Pegasus) in the shadows of the post to claim the Group One Hong Kong Derby (2000m). Trained in Hong Kong by Paul O’Sullivan, the four-year-old provided the New Zealander with his first major race success since taking up training in Hong Kong whilst he added to the list of outstanding performers to emerge from the one and only Southern Hemisphere crop of Dubai World Cup-winner Almutawakel (GB) (Machiavellian). Brought to New Zealand in 2001 and standing at Haunui Farm, Almutawakel’s New Zealand-bred progeny consisted of 51 live foals and to date, he has produced two Group One winners in the form of Wahid – Mercedes Derby and Levin Classic - and now Vital King. A stakes winner and Group One placed behind Wahid before being sold to Hong Kong, Vital King raced in New Zealand as Izzat. He was bred by Ngaire Fraser and was purchased, trained and part owned by Mark Todd. Almutawakel’s other New Zealand stakes performers include multiple Group winner Chettak who will be embarking on a Queensland campaign in the coming months, and stakes performers Darringdo, Alma June and Iguana. “With these results from only the one crop in New Zealand, it definitely makes you wonder what sort of impact Almutawakel could have had on our industry if he had been able to return,” said Mark Chitty of Haunui Farm. Unable to return to New Zealand due to an injury sustained in the Northern Hemisphere, Almutawakel has now been permanently retired from all stud duties. “Elusive City was sourced as a replacement for Almutawakel and we waited a number of seasons to get the right horse,” said Mark. “He met all of our criteria and we were able to secure part ownership which was also a huge bonus,” he said. Elusive City’s first crop of yearlings were recently sold at Karaka with some outstanding results. “His top price was $170,000 for a filly sold by Cambridge Stud, he had three $150,000 colts – one of these in Select – and in total sold nine yearlings for over six figures with a sale average of $70,000,” said Mark. “What was even more pleasing were the comments we received from buyers, the people that signed for his yearlings and consequently, the trainers that will have them in their stables,” he said. “If Elusive City can make the type of impact that Almutawakel has, we will have a very exciting young sire on our hands,” said Mark.