Tag: golden sixty

Eleven Foreigners To Challenge Home Team On FWD Champions Day

A record 11 overseas-based gallopers, including Group 1 winners Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) from Great Britain and Japan's Mad Cool (Jpn) (Dark Angel {Ire}), are among the 35 total horses invited to participate in the trio of races which comprise FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin Racecourse on Apr. 28.

Trained by William Haggas, the globetrotting Dubai Honour pays a third visit to Hong Kong and will look to improve on his performance from 12 months ago, where he was a low-odds third behind the re-opposing, three-peat seeking Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the richest of the afternoon's events, the HK$28 million (£2.84 million/€3.29 million) G1 FWD QE II Cup. Also among the invitees is recent BMW Hong Kong Derby winner Massive Sovereign (Ire) (No Nay Never).

Whereas Dubai Honour was set for a strenuous two-race Australian Group 1 prep last term, he enters this year's contest a much fresher horse, having won Kempton's Listed Magnolia S. by a smooth three-length margin Apr. 1. Dubai Honour was also a respectable fourth in the 2022 G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup over the QE II Cup course and distance.

The G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize lost some of its lustre when the world's top-rated sprinter Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) was ruled out via injury, and it will be left to last-out G1 Al Quoz Sprint victor California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) to fly the Bauhinia flag. Victor the Winner (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) is also set to make an appearance, having set the pace before finishing a brave third to Mad Cool in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Mar. 23. Trainer George Boughey is set to be represented by his first Hong Kong runner in the 4-year-old filly Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), a dual listed winner in England and victorious in the G3 Prix Texanita at Chantilly in 2023.

Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) will try to win the G1 FWD Champions Mile for a record fourth time in what could be his final career appearance. The 8-year-old, a three-time Horse of the Year, will have the services of Vincent Ho as they look for an 11th Group 1 success together. Hong Kong Derby runner-up Galaxy Patch (Aus) (Wandjina {Aus}) drops back to the 1600 metres in a race that has also attracted All-Star Mile winner Obamburumai (Jpn) (Discreet Cat), beaten under three lengths in last weekend's G1 Doncaster Mile H. at Randwick, and Middle Park Racing LX's Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation), a stakes winner in no fewer than five different jurisdictions for trainer Archie Watson, including the Listed Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup in Qatar Feb. 17.

“FWD Champions Day is one of the most prestigious meetings on the international racing stage and we are delighted to have such a strong group of world-class horses heading to Sha Tin for our spring flagship meeting,” said Andrew Harding, executive director, racing, for the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “With eight visitors from Japan and three from Great Britain, the might of Hong Kong's team will be tested in all three feature races.”

 

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Strong European Challenge for Hong Kong’s Champions Day

Group 1 winners Regional (GB) (Territories {Ire}) and Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) head 12 European entries for the FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on April 28. A strong international challenge also includes 25 potential runners from Japan, eight from Australia and three from the UAE, while there are 41 locally-trained entries.

Regional, now six, gave his trainer Ed Bethell a first Group 1 success in last year's Haydock Sprint Cup and he has been entered for the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize, with prize-money totalling approximately £2.2 million. His fellow British-trained horses Annaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and Frost At Dawn (Frosted) are also entered.

The William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour, a dual Group 1 winner in Australia, would be returning for a third run in Hong Kong. He was fourth in the 2021 G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup and third last year in the G1 FWD QEII Cup, which this time around is worth approximately £2.8 million. Haggas has also entered Maljoom (Ire) (Caravaggio) for the G1 FWD Champions Mile, which could also feature Middleham Park Racing's globetrotting Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation), trained by Archie Watson, and Fort Payne (Fr) (Rio De La Plata) for French trainer Nicolas Caullery.

Three of the winners of last December's Hong Kong International Races – Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) – hold entries for the meeting, along with Japan's Fillies' Triple Crown winner Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) and Godolphin's Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}), winner of the G1 Jebel Hatta in January.

“We are excited by the spread and quality of international entries among the nominations for FWD Champions Day,” said Andrew Harding, executive director of racing for the Hong Kong Jockey Cub.

“The potential return of Golden Sixty in the FWD Champions Mile after his stunning Longines Hong Kong Mile performance in December, along with Romantic Warrior in the FWD QEII Cup and Lucky Sweynesse in the Chairman's Sprint Prize, lays the foundation for another wonderful staging of our spring flagship meeting.

“We are delighted at the support we have received from overseas owners and trainers in Japan, England, France, Ireland, Australia and the United Arab Emirates, with the number of entries across our three Group 1 features rising from 71 last season to 89 this year.”

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Helios Express Leaves It Late In Hong Kong Classic Cup

Sent away as the $16.50 (65-100) jolly to add Sunday's HK$13-million Hong Kong Classic Cup to last month's Hong Kong Classic Mile, top-rated Helios Express (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) managed to work his way out of a jackpot with 200 metres to travel and flashed home to touch off an extremely game Chancheng Glory (Mor Spirit) by a short head Sunday afternoon at Sha Tin Racecourse. He can join the likes of the late Rapper Dragon (Aus) (Street Boss) and Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) as Triple Crown winners should he negotiate the step up to the 2000 metres in the HK$26-million BMW Hong Kong Derby in three weeks.

Having shown a penchant to want to do too much in the Classic Mile, Helios Express was going to need to relax in the nine-furlong contest if he was to see out the trip. He switched off well enough mid-division and against the rail in the early stages as Beauty Crescent (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Chancheng Glory came across from their wide draws to dispute whatever pace there was. But by about midway, Helios Express was tugging hard and Hugh Bowman had his hands full and his feet in the dashboard, doing everything in his power to try and save something for a finish.

The favourite went better on the turn as Beauty Crescent turned them into the Sha Tin straight, but he was going to have to be ridden for some luck. Held together inside, Helios Express quickly moved onto the leaders' heels, but his stablemate Ensued (Lemon Drop Kid) was there three off the fence and the no exit sign was illuminated for a handful of strides. But owing to the fact that Ensued lacks acceleration, Helios Express pushed away from the inside and now had dead aim on Chancheng Glory, who went to the front 250m from home. The latter, a 51-1 chance, had something left and wasn't going away, but Bowman kept after Helios Express and shoved him across the line. Ensued was a one-paced third ahead of Classic Mile third Star Mac (Aus) (Heroic Valour {Aus}), who got home well from the tail.

“There were a few anxious moments at the 700m when I couldn't hold him but I was given no option but to ride him as I rode him, given the way the race panned out,” said Bowman, a two-time Derby winner, but registering his first in the Classic Cup. “He settled really well but then when the pace started to change, it got really muddling around the corner, he didn't cope with that very well. It's hard to be too critical of him for that reason, either. With a smooth run race (in the Derby), he'll be okay.

“He needs an even tempo, he doesn't particularly need it fast. Like all horses, he's going to benefit from an even pace. It's not only him–it's the entire field.”

 

 

 

Pedigree Notes:

Western Australian-bred Helios Express continues an outstanding run in Hong Kong for his sire, who sits second behind Deep Field (Aus) in progeny earnings for the current season and his two stakes winners ranks as joint-best alongside Starspangledbanner (Aus). His other black-type scorer this term is G1 Centenary Sprint Cup hero Victor the Winner (Aus), who is a probable starter in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chuyko Racecourse Mar. 24.

A three-time winner at the races, Paris Texas passed away in September 2021 according to the Australian Stud Book, but has left behind Helios Express's unraced 3-year-old full-sister Isolation Ridge (Aus), who is in training with Lindsey Smith at Linton in Victoria.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
HONG KONG CLASSIC CUP-LR, HK$13,000,000, Sha Tin, 3-3, NH/SH4yo, 1800mT, 1:47.73, gd.
1–HELIOS EXPRESS (AUS), 126, g, 4, by Toronado (Ire)
1st Dam: Paris Texas (Aus), by Hinchinbrook (Aus)
2nd Dam: Hialeah Star (Aus), by Luskin Star (Aus)
3rd Dam: Hialeah Gold (Aus), by Sovereign Red (NZ)
O-Andy Yung Ming Tai; B-C Wells (WA); T-John Size; J-Hugh Bowman; HK$7,280,000. Lifetime Record: 9-7-1-1, HK$23,070,200. *Formerly Tex Mex (Aus). Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Chancheng Glory, 126, g, 4, Mor Spirit–Solid Scam, by Consolidator. ($50,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $220,000 RNA 2yo '22 OBSMAR). O-Chancheng Racing Syndicate; B-H Allen Poindexter (IA); T-Francis Lui; J-Keegan de Melo; HK$2,730,000.
3–Ensued, 126, g, 4, Lemon Drop Kid–Alluvial Gold (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). ($120,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; €260,000 2yo '22 ARQMAY). O-Ada Wong Yin Man; B-T/C Stable LLC (KY); T-John Size; J-Ryan Moore; HK$1,495,000.
Margins: SHD, 2HF, 3/4. Odds: 65-100, 51-1, 69-10.
Also Ran: Star Mac (Aus), Beauty Crescent (Ire), Helene Feeling (Ire), Chill Chibi (NZ), Unbelievable, Speed Dragon (NZ), Fallon (Ire), Elliptical (Aus), Simply Maverick (Aus), Ka Ying Generation (Ire), Awesome Fluke (Aus). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing.

 

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Romantic Warrior To Skip Stewards’ Cup, HK Gold Cup Next

Romantic Warrior (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) , who successfully defended his title in a thrilling renewal of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin Dec. 10, will be given a short break before building back up in time for an appearance in the G1 City Hong Kong Gold Cup Feb. 25. The not-unexpected decision means the 5-year-old will sidestep a clash with Longines Hong Kong Mile winner and three-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) in the G1 Stewards' Cup over 1600 metres Jan. 21.

Romantic Warrior's nose defeat of a never-say-die Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) came just 43 days after his landmark victory in the G1 W. S. Cox Plate in Melbourne, and trainer Danny Shum is focused on not squeezing the lemon dry.

“He looks great, but I feel he will be a little bit tired because it was a hard run, both two races were very hard. He'll have a short break now,” Shum said. “He'll have enough time to recover if we go to the Gold Cup next–2000 metres is his trip, I think that's a better idea. He's easy to train but he won both of those two races with his fighting heart, he uses a lot of energy. I have to look after him because he uses himself a lot, it's better to give him a bit of a break and go again.”

Romantic Warrior has six wins from seven starts over the Sha Tin 2000 metres, his lone blemish coming when beaten by Golden Sixty in last year's Gold Cup. With earnings of nearly HK$120 million, Romantic Warrior is just the third horse to surpass HK$100 million, along with Golden Sixty and Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}).

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