Ramonti, ridden by superstar Italian jockey Frankie Dettori, beat clear favorite Viva Pataca yesterday to win the Hong Kong International Cup, the highlight of the city's glittering annual meeting.
Europe's champion miler out-sprinted the local favorite to clinch the HK$20 million (US$2.5million) at the International Races, the premier race day for the horse-crazy territory.
Ramonti, from the Godolphin stable, was stepping up in distance in the 2,000m race and hit the front inside the final 200m on the fence before holding the surging Viva Pataca at bay to win by half a length.
Dettori had to sweat it out before finally lifting the silverware after surviving an objection lodged by Viva Pataca's jockey, Michael Kinane, on the grounds of interference in the final 350m.
Third was France's Musical Way, who finished three lengths behind Ramonti -- trained by United Arab Emirate's Saeed bin Suroor -- in the seven-horse field.
"Ramonti is the toughest and bravest horse I've ridden," Dettori said after the race. "He was all class and I'm really pleased with this victory."
Second favorite before the race, five-year-old Ramonti ran third in the Hong Kong International Mile last year and there had been doubts he would have the stamina to go the distance.
Hong Kong champion sprinter Sacred Kingdom stormed to victory in the HK$12 million Hong Kong Sprint over 1,200m and French jockey Olivier Peslier steered Hong Kong's Good Ba Ba to victory in the HK$16 million Hong Kong Mile after a gripping finish with United Arab Emirates-entrant Creachadoir.
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