Green Birdie’s efforts across the Global Sprint Series has confirmed Australia’s reputation as the pre-eminent source of superior sprinters with another great performance in the Group 2 Centaur Stakes in Japan.

The Hong Kong resident is the latest in a string of Australian bred gallopers who have dominated the world rankings including Silent Witness, Takeover Target, Sacred Kingdom, Rocket Man, Miss Andretti and Starspangledbanner.

From the family of Onemorenomore, Green Birdie is a 7YO and is racing in career best form.  The Caspar Fownes trained gelding defeated local idol Rocket man (by Viscount) to win $1m KrisFlyer Sprint in May this year.

Only last week, Green Birdie finished second under the most trying circumstances in the Group 2 Centaur Stakes at Hanshin in Japan.
It was seen as the perfect lead-in to the Group 1 Sprinters Stakes in a few weeks time.

“Obviously we came here to win and in that respect we have to be a bit disappointed, Fownes said.
“But we have to be very excited too as he’s run a really cracking race and given us every hope for the Sprinters Stakes next month.

“We got shuttled back a little bit more than we wanted and got out a little bit later than we wanted, but I’d said to Mark (jockey Du Plessis) that I wanted him ridden quiet. Of course it’s a little bit heartbreaking to get so close, but I couldn’t really ask for anything more than that and his last sectional must have been something amazing.”

Green Birdie’s continuing ascension up the ladder  of the world’s best sprinters focuses attention on his particularly strong pedigree.

Green Birdie is from a highly successful family noted for it’s speed and precocity.
Some of it’s acclaimed members include Casino Prince, Just Awesome, Palia, Dr Green, Tagus and Red Ransom’s only 2YO G1 winner, Onemorenomore.

“Onemorenomore cost $800,000 as an Easter yearling and it wasn’t all to do with his good looks or the fact that he is by Red Ransom,” Vinery’s Conor Phelan said.
“His dam won the G2 Emancipation Stakes at Randwick and has thrown four black type horses – all of them very fast and very precocious.  Onemorenomore is from a very strong family and has proved to be one of the best of his sire, Red Ransom.

“Green Birdie and Casino Prince are both G1 winners and most people would agree that Just Awesome was a very under-rated sire who had some obstacles to overcome and did very well.”