SUBLIME SIXTY
Local hero Vincent Ho capped off an unforgettable week with a dream success aboard Hong Kong legend Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro) in yesterday’s Hong Kong Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) at the Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) meeting at Sha Tin.
In a performance for the ages, Hong Kong’s reigning champion racehorse defied not only a 224-day break but also a horror draw in barrier 14 to become just the second horse to land the 1600-metre Group 1 on three separate occasions, joining 2007, 2008, and 2009 winner Good Ba Ba (Lear Fan).
Having not been seen since scoring in the Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) at Sha Tin on April 30, plenty of pundits felt Golden Sixty’s task this weekend may have been a stretch too far, especially given he was defeated at odds of 1-2 in the 2022 renewal.
Ho, who maintained the utmost confidence in his mount, rode the now eight-year-old son of Medaglia D’Oro (El Prado) for cover after slotting in from the wide draw and having travelled ominously well rounding the home bend, took up the lead with a furlong and a half left to run. The rest, as they say, is history.
Golden Sixty produced a breathtaking turn of foot to seal the race with a furlong still to travel and Ho could afford to ease down in the closing stages as the pair defeated Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) by a length and a half, with a further length and a quarter back to Namur (Harbinger) in third.
“He’s very special. I can’t believe it,” Ho said of the Francis Lui-trained gelding. “I was very confident even after drawing barrier 14 and I just needed to get into the right position.
“The race worked out pretty ideally. Halfway through I followed Danon The Kid, very easily, and he travelled very gently with me and I knew we were going to smoke them!
“A lot of people were saying his age was a concern, but to be honest I never doubted him. We look after him and this year he’s only had three races. He’s so amazing when he runs fresh.
On any plans of retirement, Ho was quick to add that Golden Sixty thrives on his racing.
“Of course the whole team has done a massive job but for me, the next race will be the Stewards Cup and then the Champions Mile,” Ho, who was also celebrating a win in the International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley on Wednesday, said.
“People are talking about retirement and it looks like the right thing to do given he’s achieved so much.
“However, when he’s still performing like this and given he loves his racing so much, is it the right thing to do to take away the thing he loves? As long as he’s healthy and competitive, we’re happy.”
Bred by Element Hill, Golden Sixty was initially sold for $120,000 to Riversley Park at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale before he was bought by Lui for NZ$300,000 at that year’s NZB Ready To Run Sale.
Out of the Grade 2-winning Distorted Humor (Forty Niner) mare Gaudeamus, he is a half-brother to stakes-placed winners Igitur (Helmet) and Rainbow Connection (Choisir).
Yesterday’s victory takes Golden Sixty’s record to a hugely impressive 26 wins from 30 starts, with a further pair of placings and prize-money earnings of HK$147,930,600 (approx. AU$28.77 million).