Tag: Longines Hong Kong Mile

G60 Scores Four at Longines HKIR Barrier Draw

Two-time reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) was allotted barrier four in a field of 10 mile specialists from Japan and Australia in addition to the locals as he shoots to equal the record of Good Ba Ba (Lear Fan) with a third consecutive victory in Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse.

Winner under a five-pound penalty of the G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Mile when making his seasonal debut three weeks ago, the 7-year-old has won 22 of his 25 starts to date for record Hong Kong earnings of over HK$116 million. With his chief rival California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) expected to make the running from gate two and with a pair of get-back runners in Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) and 2021 runner-up More Than This (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) drawn one and three, respectively, Vincent Ho should be able to pick his spot and let Golden Sixty do the talking late.

“I got what I wanted,” trainer Francis Lui told South China Morning Post. “He can sit midfield and stay out of trouble. [Golden Sixty] is ready.”

On an afternoon where some HK$110 million is on offer, the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup over the metric mile and a quarter is the day's richest at HK$34 million, not to mention the most interesting from a tactical standpoint. Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) is one of four in the race for Japan and landed the eight hole, with trainer Yoshito Yahagi assuring that the dead-heat winner of this year's G1 Dubai Turf will not be difficult to find.

“I don't care about the barrier draw because I know one thing–he will go to the front,” the colourful Yahagi, conditioner of last year's Cup heroine Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), told the Post.

 

 

 

His compatriot Jack d'Or (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}), whose sire won both a Hong Kong Mile (2015) and Hong Kong Cup (2016), could make things at least a bit tricky, as he may be ridden for speed by Yutaka Take from his low draw in two. The once-beaten Hong Kong rising star Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and James McDonald leave from barrier seven in what is clearly his toughest task to date.

For obvious reasons, double-digit alleys are not preferred in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint, and gate 10 is not ideal for reigning champion sprinter Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}), though trainer Richard Gibson was taking it in his stride.

“Wellington, I'm pretty relaxed. He'll be finishing off from that draw, and that's maybe his forte. We're short of options. I haven't even spoken to Ryan [Moore], but at first glance, that's what we'll be doing,” he told SCMP.

Ryan Moore, who subs for the injured Alexis Badel, won the 2020 Sprint from the riverside draw aboard Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}). Conversely, the up-and-coming Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) saw his already-strong hand fortified when landing a cosy slot in three.

Half of the field of 10 signed on for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase has shipped in from Europe, led by recent GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf runner-up Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Half of an Aidan O'Brien-trained duo, the 3-year-old breaks from the inside stall and he should find himself in a race that is often times run at a crawl. Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) carries Yutaka Take from gate six, while Mendocino (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}, gate 7) and Bubble Gift (Fr) (Nathaniel {Ire}, gate 6) and Godolphin's Botanik (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}, gate 5) have earned their right to tackle the race. Glory Vase (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) tries to make some history of his own as he goes for a third Vase in four years and second in a row and carries Joao Moreira from the four.

 

 

The post G60 Scores Four at Longines HKIR Barrier Draw appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

History On the Line in Stewards’ Cup

Reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) is already the owner of one local record, having become the winningest horse in Hong Kong history when easily defending his title in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile six weeks ago. The 6-year-old looms a dominant favourite when he goes in search of a second consecutive victory in Sunday's G1 Stewards' Cup over his pet distance and two more records lie straight ahead.

The Hong Kong Mile was win number 19 from 20 starts and not only took him to within a couple of Group 1 wins of shattering the all-time earnings mark of Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus})–who retired with HK$106 million in the bank–but also marked his 16th consecutive trip to the winner's circle dating back some 930 days to July 2019. Should he salute on Sunday, he will equal the winning streak set by the legendary Silent Witness (Aus) (El Moxie) as his own legend continues to grow.

Golden Sixty will race third-up in the Stewards' Cup and has been given a reasonably quiet time since the international Mile, finishing third to Group 1-winning sprinter Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) in a 1000-metre trial Jan. 4 before being topped off with some easy hit-outs on the grass.

If connections are feeling any pressure, it isn't showing.

“There's no record in my mind at the moment, just focusing on the race,” jockey Vincent Ho told the HKJC notes team. “He's been working well. I'm looking forward to it. It's another small field. At the age of six, I think he's better than even before– mentally and physically.”

Golden Sixty's challengers include last-out Group 3 winner Healthy Happy (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}) and Mile runner-up More Than This (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), while G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup third Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will be using this as a prep for next month's G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000mT).

In the afternoon's co-featured event, Sky Field (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), who took the tragedy-filled G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint last month, goes for a Group 1 double in the Centenary Sprint Cup, where he will face Wellington, who lost all chance when miraculously avoiding the spill in the Sprint; defending champion Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}); undefeated Master Eight (Aus) (Oamaru Force {Aus}); and the flighty Courier Wonder (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}).

The post History On the Line in Stewards’ Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Golden Sixty Back To Work at Sha Tin

Exiting an imperious victory in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile Dec. 13, Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) goes in search of his 12th consecutive victory and 15th from 16 starts overall when he takes on a field of mostly familiar faces in Sunday's G1 Stewards' Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse.

Winner of seven straight during the 2019/2020 season, including a sweep of the 4-year-old Classics, the Queensland-bred gelding has yet to be tested in four runs this term and his Hong Kong Mile success came at the expense of the re-opposing Southern Legend (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) and the race's defending champion Admire Mars (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}). It's all systems go for Golden Sixty, who figures to jump as a money-back proposition.

“He was a bit keen when he started back (after being freshened up), but after that he had a grass gallop (Jan. 19)–he was fine and [Friday morning] he was good again,” trainer Francis Lui, who celebrated his 62nd birthday earlier in the week, told the HKJC notes team. “I asked [jockey] Vincent [Ho] to give him an easy gallop and he just wanted to go.”

On the comeback trail is Rise High (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), a close third to Win Bright (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) in the 2019 G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m), but unraced since. Sunday's trip is well short of his best, but Caspar Fownes, who will also saddle Southern Legend, is looking for a tightener into the Feb. 21 G1 City Hong Kong Gold Cup, where he is likely to see Golden Sixty again, only on a more level playing field.

“Obviously, you're up against a champion, a superstar in Golden Sixty, but as long as we can just run a nice race first-up, then we'll head to the Hong Kong Gold Cup with him,” Fownes said.

Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}) is likely to go favoured in Sunday's other top-level event, the Centenary Sprint Cup over 1200 metres. The likeable gray won the G2 Jockey Club Sprint in November and was the $21 (11-10) chalk on international day, but could do no better than seventh behind Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), as the ageless Jolly Banner (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) charged home for second at better than 80-1. Wishful Thinker (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) also ran with credit in the Sprint, rallying from last to finish fourth, beaten 0.75l at boxcar odds.

WATCH: Golden Sixty wins his 11th straight race in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile

The post Golden Sixty Back To Work at Sha Tin appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Hometown Hero Golden Sixty Runs Win Streak To 11 With Hong Kong Mile Triumph

They came, they saw, they tried to blunt his dash, but they failed to conquer Golden Sixty: Hong Kong's burgeoning hometown hero dismantled his international rivals in the HK$25 million G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin with an exquisite performance.

“He's amazing, isn't he?” jockey Vincent Ho said, moments after the brilliant 5-year-old unleashed an unanswerable burst of speed that carried him to a dazzling two-length victory.

For Ho and trainer Francis Lui, Golden Sixty's success is a first at the Hong Kong International Races.

Lui was delighted and relieved to see his standout galloper seal a 14th win from 15 starts, and surpass the great Beauty Generation's 10 wins in a row with his 11th-straight triumph – in Hong Kong, only the near-immortal Silent Witness has won more races on the bounce.

“I can have a good sleep tonight!” Lui declared. “I'm very happy – at the moment, I don't know what to say, (my heart) is still pumping. As a jockey, as a trainer, as an owner, you're dreaming of this.

“I was worried about the horses from Japan and Ireland but now, after this race, he has shown me that he's a champion.”

Lui's pre-race concerns were natural with Japan's 2019 victor Admire Mars in the line-up along with last-start G1 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Order Of Australia, from Ireland's powerful Aidan O'Brien stable. But his anxiety proved needless, the invaders were no match for last season's BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner, who races in the silks of Stanley Chan Ka-leung.

With speed enough to have posted nine wins at 1200m and 1400m, and the fortitude to last the local Derby's 10 furlongs, the Medaglia d'Oro gelding seems to have it all.

When the gates crashed back, Ho exhibited apposite confidence on the 1.3 favorite, allowing his mount to settle third-last – seven lengths off the lead – while Ryan Moore pressed Admire Mars forward to stalk outside the front-running Ka Ying Star.

“They went a little bit hard early and I was quite far back, so I just let him slide through from the 600 (meters) and it only took him a few strides to almost get to them. I tried to save him until I let him down and when I asked for him, he did it really well, he gave me a really big effort,” Ho said with typically deadpan understatement.

Golden Sixty cruised around the field turning for home; the Australian-bred bounded rapidly through his gears and when he hit top speed, his stride was a blur of quickening power.

“When I hit the top of the straight, I knew,” Ho said. “I was just cruising and I didn't think anyone could beat him in that sort of sprint.

“He's a horse that really wants to compete, he's the best horse in Hong Kong at the moment. Today is all about him.”

Golden Sixty's winning time was 1:33.45; his closing 400m spilt, a strong 22.05.

Such a performance, with the admirable G1 FWD Champions Mile winner Southern Legend second and Admire Mars a battling third, sees Golden Sixty take up the baton as Hong Kong's latest star from the once imperious Beauty Generation.

Connections announced shortly after the race that 8-year-old Beauty Generation will race no more. Hong Kong's highest-rated galloper of all time – rated the equal of another great miler, Able Friend – bowed out with a meritorious fifth place and a Hong Kong career tally of 18 wins from 34 starts, as well as the local all-time record prize money haul of HK$106,233,750.

At his peak, Beauty Generation was an incredible force around Sha Tin, claiming two editions of the Hong Kong Mile among his eight G1 wins for trainer John Moore – his last three races came under the care of trainer David Hayes.

“I knew it may be on the table,” said Zac Purton, who rode the Kwok family's champion 28 times.

Beauty Generation

“It's a bitter-sweet day. It's a sad end. He's been the best horse for me in my career. I'm certainly going to miss him. He was brave again today and wherever he may go in the world, I'm sure I'll go and visit him in his paddock one day.”

Beauty Generation was high-class in Australia before scaling Hong Kong's heights but never ventured away from Sha Tin to test his mettle as a champion overseas. Lui said when pressed that the Golden Sixty team will consider off-shore options in the future but not while the world remains in its pandemic-induced turmoil.

“Not this season,” he said. “Because of the virus, we'll keep him in Hong Kong this season.”

With Ireland's Mogul carrying off the Hong Kong Vase and Japanese raiders Danon Smash and Normcore capturing the Hong Kong Sprint and Hong Kong Cup respectively, Hong Kong needed a big performance from its latest home town hero.

Golden Sixty delivered just that, and with it, the promise that Hong Kong has unearthed yet another athlete to rank among the world's best.

The post Hometown Hero Golden Sixty Runs Win Streak To 11 With Hong Kong Mile Triumph appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights