From the first time he first set foot on the racetrack in late 2020, Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) has always hinted at top ability, and the beautifully bred 5-year-old scooped the first major prize of his career with a hard-fought victory in Sunday's G3 Negishi S., a stepping-stone to the G1 February S. in three weeks' time.
Away awkwardly from the 13 hole, the $70,000 Keeneland November weanling purchase on behalf of Godolphin improved to race in the second flight of horses about three away from the inside for the opening half-mile. Pulled out into the four path leaving the 600-metre pole, the chestnut was roused to the front with a little more than a furlong to race and finished willingly to hold off the fast-finishing Gilded Mirror (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), reversing the form of their last meeting in this track's G3 Musashino S. over a mile Nov. 12. Lemon Pop was running his record over the Tokyo 1400 metres to five-from-five.
Unreachable, a daughter of the legendary Danehill (Danzig)'s Grade III-winning full-sister Harpia and also a half to New York-based stallion Redesdale (Speightstown), was unplaced in a pair of 3-year-old starts for Juddmonte and Dermot Weld and was purchased by Blandford Bloodstock, on behalf of former Darley Chief Operating Officer Olly Tait and his wife Amber, for 165,000gns ($278,915) at the 2012 Tattersalls December Mare sale.
Unreachable was led out unsold on a bid of $55,000 at the 2020 Keeneland January Sale, and the foal she was carrying at the time, a Good Magic colt, was purchased by China Horse Club/Gandharvi for $325,000 at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga in 2021 before CHC bought out their partner for $240,000 during the HORA section of last year's KEENOV sale. The mare is also responsible for a 2-year-old colt by Good Magic, a yearling Maclean's Music colt and is due to that Hill 'n' Dale sire for 2023. Lemon Pop's third dam also includes Danehill's accomplished full-brothers Eagle Eyed and Shibboleth. Lemon Pop is the 107th stakes winer and 49th graded/group winner for the now 27-year-old Lemon Drop Kid.
Sunday, Tokyo, Japan NEGISHI S.-G3, ¥76,810,000, Tokyo, 1-29, 4yo/up, 1400m, 1:22.50, gd.
1–LEMON POP, 126, h, 5, by Lemon Drop Kid 1st Dam: Unreachable, by Giant's Causeway 2nd Dam: Harpia, by Danzig 3rd Dam: Razyana, by His Majesty 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. ($70,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV). O-Godolphin; B-Mr & Mrs Oliver S Tait (KY); T-Hiroyasu Tanaka; J-Keita Tosaki; ¥40,567,000. Lifetime Record: 10-7-3-0, $1,313,929. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Gilded Mirror (Jpn), 121, m, 6, Orfevre (Jpn)–Titan Queen, by Tiznow. O-Silk Racing; B-Northern Farm; ¥16,164,000.
3–Battle Cry (Jpn), 123, c, 4, Isla Bonita (Jpn)–Dear Comet (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn). O-G Riviere·Racing; B-Dearest Club; ¥10,082,000.
Margins: HF, 3/4, NK. Odds: 0.60, 4.10, 11.80. Click for the JRA chart.
It was billed as a clash of the titans, with Hong Kong's three highest-rated gallopers squaring off for the first time in the G1 Stewards' Cup Sunday at Sha Tin. It certainly did not disappoint.
Those who may have thought Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro)'s defeat at the hooves of California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in last month's G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile signaled the beginning of the end or a changing of the guard were reminded in no uncertain terms that the 7-year-old retains all of his zest for racing when he ran out a one-length winner. Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), whose rise to the top of the local rankings has been nothing short of meteoric and included a barnstorming win in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup on HKIR day, couldn't quite sprint with Golden Sixty, but did manage to stay on for second over an alibi-free California Spangle.
As opposed to last year's race, when Vincent Ho–by his own admission–settled Golden Sixty too far off the pace and watched a 16-race winning skein come to an inglorious halt when second to Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), the bay was asked to sit handier this time around, as California Spangle lobbed them along through an opening 800 metres in :49.12, well over a second outside standard time. Romantic Warrior and Karis Teetan were content to monitor proceedings from second and the three market leaders began to get away from their four rivals nearing the straight. Though Purton noticeably upped the tempo, Golden Sixty had him covered, and when daylight appeared one off the fence a furlong out, he made use of his quick turn of foot and went on to a victory that was fairly soft in the finish. Romantic Warrior hit a bit of a flat spot inside the final 200 metres, but managed to pick himself up late.
While COVID-19 was primarily responsible for dashing any plans to travel Golden Sixty the last couple of seasons, connections reported that they had paid up for the G1 Dubai Turf Mar. 25 with the G1 Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo in early June also a possibility. The Feb. 26 G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup and a rematch with Romantic Warrior over the latter's best trip of 2000 metres is also under consideration.
“We have to see how he pulls up and we'll discuss with the team,” Ho said. “We have entered the Dubai 1800 on turf as well, so that's another thought. I think it's a good race for him and it can be a 'prep' race for him if we go to Japan because it's left-handed and he can get used to the heat and all that.”
Ho suggested that the sometimes-feisty Golden Sixty has learned to harness his energy.
“He was very comfortable [in the run] and this year he has not pulled, so when he jumped very well, he still dropped the bit and made it even easier for me to handle him and decide what position I wanted to get,” he said. “If I wanted him to be faster, he will be and if I drop my reins, he will relax. So, when Zac picked the pace up at the half mile, [Golden Sixty] still followed through very nicely without any effort.
Gaudeamus is also the dam of the unraced 3-year-old filly Golden Sister (Aus) (Capitalist {Aus}), an A$425,000 graduate of the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale who has since been exported to America, and a yearling filly by Medaglia d'Oro's G1 Golden Slipper-winning son Vancouver (Aus). She was most recently covered by So You Think (NZ).
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong STEWARDS' CUP-G1, HK$12,000,000, Sha Tin, 1-29, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:33.99, gd.
1–GOLDEN SIXTY (AUS), 126, g, 7, by Medaglia d'Oro 1st Dam: Gaudeamus (GSW-Ire, $179,846), by Distorted Humor 2nd Dam: Leo's Lucky Lady, by Seattle Slew 3rd Dam: Konafa, by Damascus
(A$120,000 Ylg '17 MMGCYS; NZ$300,000 2yo '17 NZBRTR). O-Stanley Chan Ka Leung; B-Asco International Pty Ltd (Qld); T-Francis Lui Kin-wai; J-Vincent Ho Chak-yiu; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: 2x Horse of the Year, Ch. Middle Distance Horse & Ch. 4yo-HK, 27-23-2-1, HK$129,960,600. *1/2 to Igitur (Aus) (Helmet {Aus}), SP-Aus; and Rainbow Connection (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}), GSP-Aus. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
2–Romantic Warrior (Ire), 126, g, 5, Acclamation (GB)–Folk Melody (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire). (300,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT; HK$4,800,000 HRA '21 HKJUN). O-Peter Lau Pak Fai; B-Corduff Stud & T J Rooney; T-Danny Shum Chap-shing; J-Karis Teetan; HK$2,640,000.
3–California Spangle (Ire), 126, g, 5, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Pearlitas Passion (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire). (€150,000 Ylg '19 GOFORB). O-Howard Liang Yu Shing; B-M Enright; T-Tony Cruz; Zac Purton; HK$1,200,000.
Margins: 1, NK, 3HF. Odds: 3-2, 1-1, 29-10.
Also Ran: Waikuku (Ire), Beauty Joy (Aus), Russian Emperor (Ire), Panfield (Chi). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing.
Voyage Bubble Specta-'Kah'-lar in Classic Mile…
When jockey Derek Leung opted for Sword Point (Aus) (American Pharoah) in Sunday's Hong Kong Classic Mile, trainer Ricky Yiu reached out to Mickael Barzalona to partner with Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), only to lose his services when the Frenchman was handed a suspension in Dubai. The conditioner then rang up Australia's Jamie Kah, whose first rides in Hong Kong came during last month's Longines International Jockeys' Championship, and who jetted in after five mounts Saturday at Moonee Valley in Melbourne. Let go at odds of 11-1, Voyage Bubble was given a perfectly rated ride from the front by the 26-year-old to score the upset.
Favored Packing Treadmill (Aus) (Manhattan Rain {Aus}) and Keefy (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) were the two quickest away, but Kah took advantage of her low draw and, after a bit of a tardy dispatch, sent Voyage Bubble through to lead linking up with the course proper and slowed the pace right down. Passing the half-way point in a modest :48.51, Voyage Bubble was allowed an especially easy time of things from the 800m to the 400m–covering that section in :23.29–and the duo therefore had something left for the finish, sprinting the final two furlongs in :22.78 for a straight-forward success. Tuchel (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) came on for second having sat a perfect inside trip, while Packing Treadmill kept on for third.
“I'm pretty speechless, it's been a very special day,” said Kah, riding her second winner of the day and third overall in Hong Kong after posting a victory on IJC night. “I've had such a great experience here with some beautiful horses I have ridden. I was speechless after and I got goosebumps–it's hard to make me speechless, it was a very exciting day.”
She added, “He was mapped to get a really nice, sweet run in the race and I was confident. I was just worried about him late as he has the tendency to lay in and I just thought something's going to swoop him late but he just built and built, he got stronger and stronger and probably at the 200 [-metre mark] I thought we were never in doubt–it was a really impressive win going forward.”
With the victory, Voyage Bubble becomes the 24th black-type winner for Deep Field and his second in Hong Kong, joining 2021 G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint hero Sky Field (Aus). Overall, Deep Field is the sire of 28 winners from 48 starters in Hong Kong. Voyage Bubble is out of a half-sister to Bannock (Ire) (Bertolini), winner of the Listed Rockingham S. and placed in the G2 Richmond S. and G2 July S. for Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed al Maktoum and Mark Johnston as well as Australian listed winner Moulin Lady (Aus) (Reset {Aus}). This is also the extended female family of Canadian Horse of the Year Never Retreat (Smart Strike) and Sweetest Chant.
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong HONG KONG CLASSIC MILE-LR, HK$12,000,000, Sha Tin, 1-29, NH/SH4yo, 1600mT, 1:34.58, gd.
1–VOYAGE BUBBLE (AUS), 126, g, 4, by Deep Field (Aus) 1st Dam: Raheights (Aus), by Rahy 2nd Dam: Laoub, by Red Ransom 3rd Dam: Lisieux, by Steady Growth 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (A$380,000 Ylg '20 INGFEB). O-Sunshine and Moonlight Syndicate; B-Torryburn Stud (NSW); T-Ricky Yiu Poon-fai; J-Jamie Kah; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: 9-4-3-1, HK$10,617,725. *1/2 to Brettan (Aus) (Commands {Aus}), SP-Aus; and Diddums (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), GSW-Aus, $164,688.
2–Tuchel (NZ), 126, g, 4, Redwood (GB)–Trista Rossa (Aus), by Testa Rossa (Aus). (NZ$130,000 Ylg '20 NZBJAN). O-Philip Chan Kwok Chung; B-G Harvey; T-John Size; J-Luke Currie; HK$2,640,000.
3–Packing Treadmill (Aus), 126, g, 4, Manhattan Rain (Aus)–I'm An Outoftowner (Aus), by Dane Shadow (Aus). (A$30,000 Wlg '19 IGLJUN). O-Exciting Racing Syndicate; B-A Beard (Vic); T-Francis Lui Kin-wai; J-Zac Purton; HK$1,200,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1HF, 1. Odds: 10-1, 21-1, 3-1.
Also Ran: Cordyceps Six (Aus), Galaxy Witness (Aus), Sword Point (Aus), Keefy (Aus), (DH) Beautyverse (NZ), (DH) Sweet Encounter (NZ), La City Blanche (Arg), Bon's A Pearla (Aus), Viva Chaleur (Fr), Flagship Warrior (Aus), Ivy League (Ire). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing.
A little less than five months after Emblem Road caused a massive upset in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup last February, agents for that horse's owner HRH Prince Saud bin Salman Abdulaziz went shopping for another son of Quality Road at the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale. They landed on Scotland Yard, placed three times in maiden company from four starts for WinStar Farm and Siena Farm and Steve Asmussen and offered through the WinStar Racing consignment.
Acquired for $255,000 with a race like the Saudi Cup the long-term objective, Scotland Yard remained undefeated in three starts at King Abdulaziz Racetrack with a comprehensive victory in Saturday's $399,600 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (King's Cup), accorded listed black-type status for the first time.
Drawn wide in a field of 17, Scotland Yard broke alertly and raced handy to the pace while traveling in about the six path down the long backstretch in Riyadh. Allowed to improve his position and guided down to race three deep around the turn, Scotland Yard wrested command from fellow Fasig-Tipton HORA grad Electability (Quality Road) under little encouragement with more than a quarter-mile to race and put on a show down the lane, scoring by 10 1/4 lengths (see below, SC 16)). Electability plugged on for second ahead of 9-year-old mare La Casa Tarifa (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) in third. The final time for the mile and a quarter on a dry strip that rarely produces fast times was a crisp 2:04 flat. With the victory, Scotland Yard earns an automatic berth in the nine-furlong Saudi Cup Feb. 25.
Scotland Yard is a son of Leslie's Harmony (Curlin), a half-sister to four-time champion and 10-time Grade I winner Beholder (Henny Hughes), all-conquering sire Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday) and GISW and promising young stallion Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy). Bridlewood Farm acquired Leslie's Harmony for $1.1 million out of the 2014 Keeneland September Sale and she is also the dam of the 3-year-old filly Union Harmony (Union Rags), a 2-year-old Tapit filly and a yearling filly by Uncle Mo. She is due to Not This Time for her 2023 foal. Scotland Road is the 67th stakes winner for his sire.
THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES CUP (King's Cup) (Saudi Cup Qualifier)-Listed, SAR1,500,000 ($399,600), King Abdulaziz, 1-28, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:04, ft.
1–SCOTLAND YARD, 127, c, 4, Quality Road–Leslie's Harmony, by Curlin. ($300,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $255,000 HRA '22
FTKHRA). 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Prince Saud bin Salman
Abdulaziz; B-Bridlewood Farm (FL); T-M Almulawah; J-V
Gutierrez; SAR750,000. Lifetime Record: 7-3-2-1, $343,934.
2–Electability, 127, g, 4, Quality Road–Spindle, by Hard Spun.
($300,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $330,000 HRA '22 FTKHRA).
O-King Abdullah bin A/Aziz Sons; B-Purple H Bloodstock (KY);
T-A Albadah; J-C Ospina; SAR300,000.
3–La Casa Tarifa (GB), 126, m, 9, Casamento (Ire)–Cool Tarifa
(Ire), by One Cool Cat. (£10,000 Ylg '15 DNPAUG; 16,000gns
HRA '17 TATNOV). O-Prince A/Aziz bin Fahd bin A/Aziz; B-;
T-N A Almindeel; J-Ah Alrashed; SAR225,000.
Margins: 10 1/4, 2 1/4, 2 1/4.
Revenge is squarely on the mind of reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) as he faces one of his stiffest tests to date in Sunday's G1 Stewards' Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse.
Having suffered a shock defeat at the hands of the re-opposing Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) when in search of a record-equalling 17th consecutive victory in last year's Stewards' Cup, the 7-year-old enters this race with another chip on his shoulder, having failed to reel in loose-on-the-lead California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) when attempting the three-peat last time in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile Dec. 12.
The task at hand is made trickier still by the presence of the once-beaten Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who is cutting back to the mile after decimating his opposition in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup going 2000 metres last month. But jockey Vincent Ho, who has been aboard Golden Sixty in each of his 26 career starts–22 of those victorious–is relishing every last opportunity to ride a horse of this calibre.
“The horse is like a family member to me. In the morning if I come to work, I go and visit him every time to see how he is. He's definitely like a pet but, of course, he's in the stable. I wish I had more time to do more stuff with him,” Ho said.
“Horses like this don't stay forever and you have to cherish and enjoy every moment with him. When I work him or riding him in races, you have to enjoy those moments.”
In what figures a tactical affair where decision making will be at a premium, Zac Purton will put California Spangle on the engine, try to slow the pace as much as possible and try to hold off his two chief adversaries. But he is well aware that there is little margin for error.
“A small, little thing that happens at some stage of the race might be the defining moment for the result, so we all have to be on our game,” Purton, a five-time Hong Kong champion jockey, said. “More importantly, all the horses look like they're on their game and they're fit. It's still early on in their preparation, so none of them are going to be over the top. We just hope it's going to be a good race.”
Last year's BMW Hong Kong Derby hero, Romantic Warrior is going for a unique Group 1 treble, having won the G1 FWD QE II Cup and the Hong Kong Cup. Win or lose, he makes his next start back at 10 furlongs in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup and it will be interesting to see how he fits with top-class milers over a trip that is possibly short of his best. His human connections are not lacking for confidence.
“We have some confidence. It's not a big field–just seven horses–so the horse can stay behind California Spangle and we have some confidence that we can beat him,” said trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing. “He's in really good form, so I have confidence in him.”
The supporting feature is the Hong Kong Classic Mile, won last year by Romantic Warrior. Packing Treadmill (Aus) (Manhattan Rain {Aus}) could jump a lukewarm favourite for Purton and Golden Sixty's trainer Francis Lui, with Class 1 winner Keefy (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) and Sweet Encounter (NZ) (Toronado {Ire})–to be ridden by Ryan Moore for John Size–also taking market support.
