A winner of the G1 Golden Rose S. last Sept., Hallowed Crown (Aus) (Street Sense) resumed last start with a strong win over Sweynesse (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) in the G2 Hobartville S. over 1400 meters at Rosehill Feb. 21. Stepping up to the 1600 meters of the G1 Randwick Guineas, the result was exactly the same again as Hallowed Crown achieved his second victory at the elite level, highlighting himself as arguably the best 3-year-old colt in the country. Darley purchased a 50 percent share in the Gooree Park Stud homebred last Oct., which now looks like a very shrewd investment.
The Bart and James Cummings trainee was sent off the second favorite, as punters preferred him G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Shooting To Win (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) despite the result of both their previous encounters in the G1 Golden Rose S. and G2 Hobartville S. Attempting to live up to his name, Shooting To Win was the quickest of the six runners out of the gates and went for the lead while Hallowed Crown, who was drawn on the fence, was held up and angled out by Hugh Bowman to sit on the outside of the front-runner, a couple of lengths ahead of the rest of the field. As the turn was reached and Shooting To Win appeared to be traveling extremely well under Blake Shinn, Godolphin's Sweynesse, who had settled in last position, charged along the rail and looked as if he would take the race. Hallowed Crown seemed to be slightly struggling but soon knuckled down impressively to fight off all challengers and record victory by 3/4 length from Sweynesse, with Shooting To Win a further short head back in third.
Hallowed Crown has now won six of his seven starts, his only faux pas being a fourth to Brazen Beau (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) in the 1200-meter G2 Roman Consul S., and boasts earnings in excess of A$1 million. He is a half-brother to Group 3 winner and stallion Needs Further (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), and they are out of the talented Crowned Glory (Aus) (Danehill), who won at Group 3 level and ran second to Belle du Jour (Aus) (Dehere) in the 2000 G1 Golden Slipper S.
“I think he's answered the doubters there,” co-trainer James Cummings said. “Does this horse run a mile? He's even better over a mile.” Reflecting on how the race unfolded, Cummings Jnr. added, “I told Hughie [Bowman] we really wanted to stay off the fence and he was able to do just that. This horse is ranging up on the outside of Shooting To Win, the sparks begin to fly and he just loves it. He's always going to find late. He loves nothing better than to attack the line. He did that, he savaged it and he won again. He's the best 3-year-old in the country.”
James Cummings added that the G1 George Ryder S. at The Championships would be next for the colt, before taking on older horses in the G1 Doncaster Mile, a race for which he was elevated to equal favorite after yesterday's victory. The George Ryder S. is shaping out as a strong contest, with Japanese raiders Real Impact (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and World Ace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) among the expected runners, alongside Shooting To Win. Co-trainer Peter Snowden said about the beaten favorite, “He was just a bit keen. He is much better off when he can find a sit, with everything behind him he just wanted to do a bit much too early.”
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