Mongolia has made a splash at the Breeders’ Cup with a long shot horse and an owner and trainer from the central Asian nation winning the Turf Sprint at Keeneland.
Mongolian Saturday (15-1) was the landlocked country’s first representative on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) in the 32-year history of the world championships.
His win came a couple of weeks after another horse owned in that country, Mongolian Khan, won the Caulfield Cup.
The winner’s circle was a jubilant scene with owner Ganbaatar Dagvadorj, who races as Mongolian Stable, and his relatives and friends dressed in colourful traditional garb and headgear. He was joined by his wife, a former Miss Mongolia.
“It’s a big dream as Mongolians to participate in this big event,” Dagvadorj said. “And as a Mongolian, we ride horses starting at age four. It’s part of our tradition.”
Mongolia is known as the “Land of the Horse,” and its citizens are considered some of the best horsemen in the world.
“Some people say Mongolian people are born to ride,” trainer Enebish Ganbat said. “Everybody was raised on horses and our horses are field horses.”
Jockey Florent Geroux sent the five-year-old to challenge for the lead after jumping from gate 14.
Mongolian Saturday hit the front at the top of the straight and needed an all-out drive to the winning post to hold off Lady Shipman in a photo finish.
Five years ago, Ganbat switched from the long-distance training done in Mongolia to thoroughbred training in the United States.
At an event that celebrates the breeding industry, Mongolian Saturday is, ironically, a gelding.
The victory was worth $US550,000 ($A777,385) or just over 1 billion tughriks in Mongolian currency.
