Golden Sixty continues march to Hong Kong Mile
Golden Sixty (Medaglia d’Oro), Hong Kong’s latest racing sensation, continued his seemingly inexorable march to December and Group 1 glory with his tenth consecutive win in yesterday’s Jockey Club Mile (Gr 2, 1600m).
It was a win which came with such authority that even the prospect of stiffer international competition, in next month’s Hong Kong Mile (G1, 1600m), may not be enough to end the winning streak of the Francis Lui-trained and Vincent Ho-ridden five-year-old.
Golden Sixty, owned by Stanley Chan Ka Leung, recorded his 13th win from 14 starts and became just the fourth horse to win ten consecutive races in Hong Kong, emulating greats Silent Witness (El Moxie), Beauty Generation (Road To Rock) and Co-Tack (Top Role).
Victory in the December 13 showpiece would see him eclipse Beauty Generation and Co-Tack, whose winning runs came to an end at ten straight.
Silent Witness’ 17 consecutive victories may be a distant and near untouchable target but the Australian-bred has made a habit of making history – being just the second horse to sweep Hong Kong’s Four-Year-Old Classic Series and the first to win the Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m) for all local connections since Hong Kong racing turned professional.
Golden Sixty, unbeaten in three runs this season, was capably and patiently ridden by Ho before launching an electric late assault to arrogantly condemn, by a length and a half, the modest pace-setting front-runners Ka Ying Star (Cityscape) and Southern Legend (Not A Single Doubt) to the minor placings.
Ho believes Golden Sixty is now well equipped to take on all comers in the Hong Kong Mile, which has enjoyed international Group 1 status since 2000.
“He felt really good and sprinted home really well,” Ho said. “The main goal was to settle him as normal and to relax him and he hit the line strongly. He will always produce a really good last quarter. I was happy with how he raced, he’s getting quieter and he knows what’s going on now.
“He’s more mentally mature and he’s a really professional horse now. He’s getting quieter behind the gate, just looking around, taking it in. I just wanted to get him settled first of all, I knew there’d be some pace on, which would suit him.
“Actually I think at the moment he’s one of the best horses in Hong Kong. That’s for sure. He’ll be competing at Group 1 now and hopefully we will be winning next month. That was our main goal and main target from last season and these three races have been really good prep for him. He’s got stronger each race and I’m really happy with how those races panned out for him.”
Ho said he was grateful for the opportunity to be part of the team with a horse of Golden Sixty’s quality.
“I’ve never been in a Formula 1 car but I feel like riding him is probably similar. He’s a once in a lifetime horse for me. Lots of jockeys dream of having a horse like this and I’m extremely grateful to Mr Lui and the owner Mr Chan, who have supported me and trusted me and kept me on,” he said.
Lui also noted that the gelding has matured since his four-year-old season and is hopeful he will measure up to his next assignment.
“I felt nervous before the race but, of course, passed the winning post everything was all right. I feel very happy that the horse can perform so well.
“You can see he’s more relaxed and more mature now. At the moment he looks like a champion but we’ll see what form the international horses bring,” Lui said before reiterating his intention to run in December’s Hong Kong Mile. The horse also has a Hong Kong Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) entry.
The international challenge may include Japan’s Indy Champ (Stay Gold) and Admire Mars (Daiwa Major), who finished second and third respectively behind Gran Alegria (Deep Impact) in yesterday’s Mile Championship (Gr 1, 1600m) at Hanshin. Admire Mars won last year’s Hong Kong Mile.
Masterly Hot King Prawn seals a second Jockey Club Sprint
By David Morgan
Hot King Prawn (Denman) will carry high hopes into the Hong Kong Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m) in three weeks’ time after shrugging off a wide passage and nine rivals to win the Jockey Club Sprint (Gr 2, 1200m) at Sha Tin yesterday.
The eye-catching grey was three quarters of a length too good for his opponents but scored with more mastery than that margin might suggest, leaving jockey Joao Moreira and trainer John Size satisfied that the six-year-old is in form good enough to perhaps snare a long-awaited first career Group 1.
“He’s won with authority – not to disrespect the other horses in the race because some of those might improve as well but I just couldn’t be any happier with him. He’s going to December as an improving horse; he’s a class horse, a quality horse, and we can go there with plenty of confidence – there’s no doubt that that’s the race we want to win,” Moreira said after Hot King Prawn held off Computer Patch (Exceed And Excel) and the late-charging Rattan (Savabeel).
“He’s got a little bit more mature and he hasn’t been showing as much speed as early on in his career, but I just can’t see that as a bad thing because all we want is to have a strong horse at the finish and he’s proven to be that kind of horse today. He’s one of a kind.”
Hot King Prawn was the second home in a Size-trained one-two in the Hong Kong Sprint last term, with the now-retired champion sprinter Beat The Clock (Hinchinbrook) edging the win. The 11-time champion trainer expects to see further improvement when his current number one lines up for his third start of the campaign in next month’s big race.
“I thought the run was okay, he’s covered a little bit of ground and finished the race off quite nicely, I wouldn’t expect any more. I think he’s probably still improving and he’ll be a bit better on international day,” he said.
“He’s six years old this season but sometimes our good horses can be that age and still do their best. Hong Kong is a place where mature horses can have an advantage sometimes. He had one start before the Hong Kong Sprint last season because he was coming back off a colic operation, so he was a little bit disadvantaged, so this time he’s probably had a more comfortable preparation.”
There is no guarantee Hot King Prawn will line-up as Hong Kong’s prime contender in the Hong Kong Sprint, with newly-imported The Everest (1200m) winner Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt) – trained by Caspar Fownes – being forwarded as the division’s latest pin-up. Size, though, is not concerned.
“It’s difficult to assess (Classique Legend) from here, we’ll have to see him race in Hong Kong and we’ll probably get a better guide then,” he said sagely.
Size also gave an update on last season’s Stewards’ Cup (G1, 1600m) winner Waikuku (Harbour Watch), who will step out for the first time this term in the Hong Kong Mile.
“Waikuku has been doing okay. He’s behind schedule obviously, but he’ll have another trial and all being well he’ll go into the race first-up,” Size said.
Furore leads Cruz one-two in Jockey Club Cup
By Declan Schuster
A classy win by Furore (Pierro) proved his second-up success over Exultant (Teofilo) was no fluke as he led home a one-two for trainer Tony Cruz in yesterday’s Jockey Club Cup (G2, 2000m) at Sha Tin.
Furore ended a 19-month winless streak last start when he overhauled his five-time Group 1-winning stablemate in the Sa Sa Ladies Purse Handicap (Gr 3, 1800m) and he repeated the result yesterday, despite being sent off second favourite to Exultant again.
However, yesterday’s clash was the pair’s final for the calendar year and it served as a preview of the strong hand that Cruz holds ahead of next month’s Hong Kong International Races.
“I’m glad they’re not in the same race – Exultant will be in the Vase and Furore will be in the Cup,” Cruz confirmed. “We’ll go straight into the International Races with them – we are ready.”
Joao Moreira had Furore in a forward position yesterday, following the third of Cruz’s three, Time Warp (Archipenko), throughout the race before peeling out to hit the lead for a comfortable success with plenty left up his sleeve.
“Time Warp was drawn one, and Furore was drawn three, I said just follow him – everything all went to plan,” Cruz said.
Moreira was delighted after recording his first Jockey Club success.
“He travelled very kindly, he had the cover that we were hoping for and the pace was quite genuine and when I gave him a clear run, they started to come back and he just kept running and showing his quality.” Moreira said.
“He ran away to win very impressively and easily – I can say that he crossed the finish line with plenty left in himself, it gets me so excited for the big day in December.
“I have just done my job, which wasn’t very difficult – good horses make jockeys’ lives much easier and I just haven’t got a word to describe the feeling of being on board such a nice horse leading up to the big day in December.
“I’ve been asked what the key about this horse is but there is no key, I just got on him at the right time, he’s flying and he’s shown how much class he has got and how well Tony Cruz has got him going at the moment.”
One-time Derby aspirant Columbus County (Redwood) finished off nicely for third after switching for an outside run, while Dances With Dragon (Savabeel) was a further two and a quarter lengths behind in fourth.