The victory came 12 months after the son of I Am Invincible claimed the $2 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (RL).
King Of Sparta was heavily backed from $6.50 into $4 that day and again provided a popular win this year, with the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained gelding scoring a 1-1/2-length win as $1.90 favourite in the $1 million event.
"He's just got to win one of these races every year and he keeps ticking all the boxes for us," Snowden said.
"He loves coming up here and being away and he loves the sunshine. God bless him."
King Of Sparta took his career earnings to a tick over $2.2 million after earning connections $580,000 at what was his sixth win from 22 starts.
He is also a two-time Black Type winner, having won last year's Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield and the Listed Falvelon Stakes (1200m) the start before his Snippets success.
King Of Sparta has now more than three times the $700,000 that China Horse Club, Newgate Farm and Starlight Racing paid for him at the 2020 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Yarraman Park.
A son of Yarraman's Australian Champion Stallion, King Of Sparta is from the Holy Roman Emperor mare Octavia, who was a winner of the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m).
James McDonald brought up a winning treble, following earlier wins aboard Alpine Edge and Brookspire, guided King Of Sparta to victory over Shooting For Gold ($8.50) with Vowmaster ($21) a half-length back third.
"It worked out really well, the pace was nice and he travelled. He was the best horse in the race," McDonald said.
FP | Silk | Horse, Age & Sex Sire & Dam |
Jockey Trainer |
SP
WT |
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---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st |
9. CENTREFIRE (AUS) 6yo M SHOOTING TO WIN (AUS) - COCO KERRINGLE (AUS) |
TIM CLARK CHRIS MUNCE |
$26
56.5kg |
||||||||
Mrs C Munce, L W Chapman, J Ivankovic, A P Crowe, D A Warner, Gadawon (Mgr: G Billinghurst), D M Leembruggen, G P Sinclair, Ms B L Clark, B Clulow, J E Munce, Mrs G M Munce, Mrs M A Droney, G A Droney & Affable Pete (Mgr: G P Sinclair) | |||||||||||
|
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2nd |
1. ELEVEN ELEVEN (AUS) 6yo G FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - SMOKIN' ALICE (USA) |
JAMES MCDONALD GREGORY HICKMAN |
$3.3
58.5kg |
||||||||
G Hickman, Mrs T Carney, A Carney, R Wilson, K Edmunds, J Teytz, Ms M King, Steelies Racing (Mgr: Ms L Caff), Miss J Hickman, B Turton, G Nivison, C Green, A Tesoriero, A Kontista, M Kontista, N Johnson, T Hodges & Mrs A Carney | |||||||||||
|
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3rd |
2. SCALLOPINI (AUS) 8yo G SNITZEL (AUS) - ROSE OF MULAN (AUS) |
MARK ZAHRA S O'DEA & M HOYSTED |
$2.4
58.5kg |
||||||||
Proven Thoroughbreds (Mgr: A J Walter), Moni Plus Racing (Mgr: D J Kelso), A N McMaster, Ms E A McMaster, M A Rolfe, Mrs M L Rolfe, Mrs J A Peck, Mrs S P Warren, B T Burke, B E Fletcher, B D Peters, M G Cox, D W N Hillhouse, Mrs V A Thane, R P Warren, J N Allen & N E Chaplin | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
4th |
13. HIDDEN WEALTH (AUS) 3yo G BETTER THAN READY (AUS) - MISS STASH (AUS) |
STEPHANIE THORNTON TONY GOLLAN |
$9.5
55kg |
||||||||
|
|||||||||||
5th |
12. AMATHUBA (AUS) 4yo M PRIDE OF DUBAI (AUS) - FURSA (AUS) |
JAMIE KAH R & W FREEDMAN |
$41
56.5kg |
||||||||
|
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6th |
10. RUPERTAAR (AUS) 4yo M WINNING RUPERT (AUS) - GREAT DANSAAR (AUS) |
RACHEL KING BJORN BAKER |
$26
56.5kg |
||||||||
|
|||||||||||
7th |
3. RANGES (AUS) 6yo G SHOOTING TO WIN (AUS) - I BELIEVE (AUS) |
TOMMY BERRY PETER & PAUL SNOWDEN |
$11
58.5kg |
||||||||
|
|||||||||||
8th |
8. MOBSTAR (AUS) 4yo G SHALAA (IRE) - ALBERTON WALTZ (AUS) |
ANDREW MALLYON KRIS LEES |
$26
58.5kg |
||||||||
|
|||||||||||
9th |
6. DIRECT (AUS) 4yo G SIYOUNI (FR) - UPFRONT (USA) |
ZAC SPAIN LLOYD KENNEWELL |
$21
58.5kg |
||||||||
|
|||||||||||
10th |
4. CONTEMPTUOUS (AUS) 6yo H RUBICK (AUS) - CONTEMPT (AUS) |
CRAIG WILLIAMS S O'DEA & M HOYSTED |
$21
58.5kg |
||||||||
|
|||||||||||
11th |
7. GENZAI THE WOLF (AUS) 6yo G BULLET TRAIN (GB) - FAILLE (AUS) |
JUSTIN HUXTABLE DAVID MURPHY |
$61
58.5kg |
||||||||
|
|||||||||||
12th |
11. DOVETAIL DIVA (AUS) 4yo M HEADWATER (AUS) - MOODLIGHTING (AUS) |
JADEN LLOYD J G SYMONS & S LAXON |
$51
56.5kg |
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