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Golden Sixty Crowned Hong Kong Horse of the Year

Having secured champion 4-year-old honours in 2019-2020, courtesy of his sweep of the local Triple Crown, Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) capped a perfect 5-year-old campaign by being named the Horse of the Year in Hong Kong during ceremonies held Tuesday evening at Happy Valley Racecourse.

Bred in Queensland by Asco International Pty Ltd., Golden Sixty–an A$120,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling turned NZ$300,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run breezer, took his overall winning streak to 14 during the season and to 17 from 18 overall, using his trademark and devastating turn of foot to defeat the evergreen Southern Legend (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) and defending champion Admire Mars (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) for a breakthrough Group 1 success in the Longines Hong Kong Mile in December (see below).

After narrowly besting Southern Legend to win the G1 Stewards' Cup over the metric mile, trainer Francis Lui elected to stretch Golden Sixty back out in trip for the 2000-metre G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup. In a slowly run affair, Vincent Ho set his mount alight three furlongs from home and looped the field, but fellow Derby winner Furore (NZ) (Pierro {Aus}) saved all the ground and the duo battled tooth and nail to the line, with Golden Sixty best by half a head (video). After giving serious consideration to taking on Japan in the G1 FWD QE II Cup in April, trainer Francis Lui stepped his charge back down for the G1 Champions Mile. It proved no easier, however, as his stablemate More Than This (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) ran him to a head in yet another nail-biting finish.

The lone finalist for champion miler, Golden Sixty was also named champion middle distance horse, earning the nod over Sky Darci (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}). The connections of the latter did not leave Happy Valley empty-handed Tuesday, as they were rewarded for their victory in the BMW Hong Kong Derby with this year's champion 4-year-old prize. The NZ$160,000 NZBJAN graduate won five of his nine trips to the post for champion trainer Caspar Fownes and followed his Derby score with his first open stakes success in the G3 Lion Rock Trophy H.

WATCH: Golden Sixty becomes a Group 1 winner in the Longines Hong Kong Mile

In what would have been a hotly contested division, Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}) was named champion sprinter on the strength of a long-overdue first Group 1 tally in the Centenary Sprint Prize in January, with champion jockey Joao Moreira in the saddle. The Torryburn Stud-bred veteran, an A$90,000 purchase out of the 2016 Inglis Sydney Classic sale, left a pair of potential future champions in his wake, including G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize hero Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) and the unbeaten Courier Wonder (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), who debuted–like all unraced newcomers–off a mark of 52 in October and finished on 107 after winning the G3 Sha Tin Vase H. in late May. Courier Wonder was named most improved horse for the 2020-2021 season.

Panfield (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky), a good third to Sky Darci in the Derby, clinched champion stayer honours with his season-ending success in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup over 2400 metres. The Chilean import could be set for the G1 Melbourne Cup, trainer Tony Millard told the HKJC press team Tuesday.

The David Hayes trained Fantastic Treasure (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}) was unbeaten in five starts, including a Class 2 score in May, and was named champion griffin for horses aged two or three on the date of the first Hong Kong meeting of the season and which were unraced upon their import into Hong Kong.

The final fixture of the 2020-2021 Hong Kong season is set for Wednesday night at Happy Valley. Racing resumes in early September.

The post Golden Sixty Crowned Hong Kong Horse of the Year appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Panfield Ascends To New Heights in Champions & Chater Cup

Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was a well-backed third in the 2018 BMW Hong Kong Derby before winning the G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup H. and finishing runner-up in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup. Three years on, South American import Panfield (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky), who racked up a trio of top-level successes on home soil prior to his sale to Hong Kong, outran odds of 25-1 to complete the tierce in this year's Derby and was only fifth to Butterfield (Brz) (Setembro Chove {Brz}) in the Queen Mother, but bounced back to take Sunday's last of 12 Group 1s on the local calendar, besting Columbus County (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) by a cosy half-length. Exultant, winner of this even in 2019 and 2020, settled for third.

The third-roughest chance in a field of seven, Panfield bounced well and settled in the one-by-one position, outside of Glorious Dragon (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and on the back of Exultant as Time Warp (GB) (Archipenko) led at a walking pace passing halfway. Ridden quietly into the final three furlongs by Karis Teetan, Panfield came three deep into the lane, went by Exultant with a bit less than 300 metres to travel and dug deep as the Joao Moreira-ridden Columbus County took a run at him late. It was a first Group 1 winner for trainer Tony Millard since the outstanding Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (Pins {Aus}) took out the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup in 2013.

“At the 700 [-metre mark], I knew this horse would go right through the line because he literally dropped down a gear and started to motor home,” Teetan said. “[But] you know when Joao comes next to you in a race, you know you've got a hard battle. In those big ones, he's come next to me a few times and he's got the better of me and I was like 'C'mon, Joao, not today,' and it pays off.”

Panfield is the first Hong Kong stakes winner for his Ashford Stud-based stallion, whose only other locally based runner Hongkong Great (Chi), also a three-time Group 1 winner in Chile, recently set a new track record for the extended mile on dirt and may target important main-track races overseas.

WATCH: Panfield outlasts Columbus County in the Champions & Chater

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
STANDARD CHARTERED CHAMPIONS & CHATER CUP-G1, HK$12,000,000 (£1,093,684/€1,267,086/A$1,991,998/US$1,545,829), Sha Tin, 5-23, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:25.25, gd/fm.
1–PANFIELD (CHI), 126, c, 4, by Lookin At Lucky
1st Dam: Esterina (Arg), by Orpen
2nd Dam: Escoradita (Arg), by Johnny's Prospect
3rd Dam: Escorada, by Mari's Book
O-Yue Yin Hing; B-Agricola Taomina Ltda; T-Tony Millard;
J-Karis Teetan; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Chi,
12-6-1-1, HK$13,334,190. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Columbus County (NZ), 126, g, 5, Redwood (GB)–Spirit of
Sandford (NZ), by Kilimanjaro (GB). (NZ$33,000 Ylg '17
NZBFEB). O-Mr & Mrs Hamen Fan Shi Hoo, Alex Fan Chen Yen
& Christina Fan Chen Mun; B-D W Mayers & Mrs S J Taylor;
T-Caspar Fownes; J-Joao Moreira; HK$2,640,000.
3–Exultant (Ire), 126, g, 7, Teofilo (Ire)–Contrary (Ire), by Mark
of Esteem (Ire). O-Eddie Wong Ming Chak & Wong Leung Sau
Hing; B-Ballygallon Stud; T-Tony Cruz; J-Zac Purton;
HK$1,200,000.
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, 2. Odds: 17-1, 11-5, 7-5.
Also Ran: Butterfield (Brz), Glorious Dragon (Ire), Russian Emperor (Ire), Packing Waltham (Fr), Time Warp (GB).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.

Courier Wonder Lives Up to Expectations…

Courier Wonder (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) announced himself as a potential G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint horse Sunday afternoon, taking full advantage of the race's handicap conditions to win the G3 Sha Tin Vase at Sha Tin. He remained perfect in five runs as the prohibitive favourite.

Rousted along early, the 3-year-old dropped into a perfect position, racing with cover on the circle–at times a touch keenly–and was angled out into the three path at the quarter pole. Joao Moreira had to get busy on his mount to get past Computer Patch (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), but he gained command and held off Stronger (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) while in receipt of 12 pounds from that rival. Sky Field (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), also carrying 130 pounds, got home well for third.

“I'm very excited [for next season], he's the type of horse that everyone dreams to have,” Moreira said. “In the straight, I pulled him out and he dashed home as he always does–good horses like him give jockeys an amazing feeling. When we first started turning, he got a bit lost and wanted to run out today, shying away from the other horses, but as we progressed he started to relax, which is fantastic.”

Trainer John Size indicated Courier Wonder is done for the season, with a prep towards December's international races meeting in the offing.

A full-brother to last month's G1 Doncaster Mile runner-up Icebath (NZ), Courier Wonder is the fifth stakes winner–all at group level–for his late sire (by O'Reilly {NZ}). Fabulist is the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Tivaci (Aus) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and produced fillies by Sacred Falls in 2019 and 2020.

WATCH: Courier Wonder makes it five straight in the Sha Tin Vase

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
SHA TIN VASE H.-G3, HK$4,000,000 (£318,554/€370,119/A$583,102/US$450,791), Sha Tin, 5-23, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.16, gd/fm.
1–COURIER WONDER (NZ), 118, g, 4, by Sacred Falls (NZ)
1st Dam: Fabulist (NZ), by Savabeel (Aus)
2nd Dam: Fontaine (NZ), by Centaine (Aus)
3rd Dam: Water Garden (Aus), by Bellwater (Fr)
1ST STAKES WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. (NZ$150,000 Ylg '19
NZBJAN). O-Mr & Mrs Chadwick Mok Cham Hung; B-Waikato
Stud Ltd; T-John Size; J-Joao Moreira; HK$2,495,000. Lifetime
Record: 5-5-0-0, HK$7,029,000. *1/2 to Nowyousee (NZ)
(O'Reilly {NZ}), SW-Sin, $441,970; Just Fabulous (NZ) (O'Reilly
{NZ}), GSP-NZ; full to Icebath (NZ), G1SP-Aus, $1,675,812.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stronger (Aus), 130, g, 4, Not A Single Doubt (Aus)–Star Pupil
(Aus), by Starcraft (NZ). (A$1,050,000 Ylg '18 INGEAS).
O-Cheung Hon Kit, Joanna Cheung Wai Size & Jonathan
Cheung Yu Shing; B-Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd & Planette
Thoroughbred (NSW); T-Douglas Whyte; J-Vincent Ho;
HK$770,000.
3–Sky Field (Aus), 130, g, 4, Deep Field (Aus)–Laravissante (NZ),
by O'Reilly (NZ). (NZ$175,000 Ylg '18 NZBJAN). O-Kwan Shiu
Man, Jessica Kwan Mun Hang & Jeffrey Kwan Chun Ming;
B-M Ryan (NSW); T-Caspar Fownes; J-Blake Shinn;
HK$402,500.
Margins: 3/4, HF, NO. Odds: 15-100, 24-1, 18-1.
Also Ran: Duke Wai (NZ), Computer Patch (Aus), Voyage Warrior (Aus), Rattan (NZ), Fat Turtle (Aus), Wishful Thinker (Aus).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.

The post Panfield Ascends To New Heights in Champions & Chater Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Sky Darci Leaves Fownes, Moreira ‘Beaming’ After HK Derby

by Alan Carasso

Any time you hand the car keys to Joao Moreira, you have a fair bit of confidence that good things are to come. Still, entering Sunday's HK$24-million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) at Sha Tin, there were questions aplenty as to whether Sky Darci (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), the race's highest-rated galloper, would see out the trip, having underperformed in the two lead-up events. But, one race after bringing up his 100th winner for the season, the 'Magic Man' put a brilliant steer on the Kiwi-bred and the pair just lasted, as Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Panfield (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky) were zeroing in late.

Only sixth as the favourite to Excellent Proposal (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the Jan. 24 Hong Kong Classic Mile and seventh behind Healthy Happy (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}) in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) Feb. 21–albeit with imperfect trips–Sky Darci drew two for the Derby to the delight of trainer Caspar Fownes, who admitted his charge would benefit from a low gate. The NZ$160,000 NZB Premier Yearling (Book 1) bounced well and settled in about fifth spot early as Healthy Happy and Silver Express (Aus) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) put several lengths on the well-backed Shadow Hero (Aus) (Pierro {Aus}) going to the backstretch. Moreira was only too happy to play the hand he'd been dealt and remain glued to the paint, and when the forwardly placed Russian Emperor slid away from the fence and the pace dropped passing midway, Sky Darci immediately seized upon the opportunity to improve, a move that would prove decisive in the end.

Pinching ground on the turn, Sky Darci was on the heels of the leading duo as Silver Express overhauled Healthy Happy nearing the straight. Pulled out around that duo, Sky Darci hit the front with a bit more than a furlong to travel and knuckled down late to become the fourth New Zealand-bred Derby winner in the last six years. Last year's G3 Hampton Court S. hero Russian Emperor proved his Classic Cup effort (at 80-1) was no fluke, just missing as the $4.70 (37-10) choice, while treble Chilean Group 1 winner Panfield hit the line hard for third. Excellent Proposal rallied down the center for fourth.

“I had to angle my way out, but once I got into the straight, I had taken the lead a little bit too early, but I knew I was on the best horse in the race and I had a lot of confidence in the horse,” said Moreira, adding to his victory aboard the late Rapper Dragon (Aus) (Street Boss) in 2017. “I knew they were coming, they were good horses as well. He's not a specialist 2000-metre horse, in my opinion, but he's got heart and even if they were coming, he was giving his best.”

It was also a second Derby success for Fownes, who saddled Super Satin (NZ) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) to success in the 2010 renewal.

“It was the longest [last] 200 metres I've ever seen in a race, that's for sure,” the always-accessible Fownes told the HKJC notes team. “It felt like an eternity there and I'm glad he stuck his neck out and got the winning result. All in all, it's a magic day–massive satisfaction. This horse with the owners [the Kwan family], it's magic, they've been incredible people to train for.”

Sky Darci was the only member of the 14-horse field who was untried overseas prior to his import, similar to 2020 winner Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro).

WATCH: Sky Darci digs deep to win the BMW Hong Kong Derby

Pedigree Notes:

Sky Darci–the third and most successful of his dam's produce to race in Hong Kong–is the 52nd black-type winner for his sire, whose 11 Group 1 winners include D B Pin (NZ), winner in Hong Kong of the Centenary Sprint Cup and twice runner-up in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint. Despite his sire's propensity to throw a top sprinter, there is plenty in Sky Darci's pedigree to suggest he could stay the 2000 metres. His half-brother Chocante (NZ) was a Group 3 winner in New Zealand going an extended mile and a quarter and won the G2 Brisbane Cup over 2200 metres while finishing third in the G1 The Metropolitan H. (2400m) in Sydney. Sky Darci's second dam was a daughter of Red Chiffon, who annexed the G3 Canterbury Gold Cup going 2000 metres and was third in the 1988 G1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).

Sky Darci is the third winner of the Hong Kong Derby in six years to be raised at Highden Park in New Zealand. Sam and Libby Bleakley's operation was also responsible for 2018 Derby hero Ping Hai Star (NZ) (Nom du Jeu {NZ}), who was unsold on a bid of NZ$40,000 when consigned by Highden Park to the 2015 NZBSEL sale. They also had their hands on 2016 Derby winner and future Horse of the Year Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), as well as Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}), two-time Horse of the Year who was third to Rapper Dragon in 2017 and became a two-time winner of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile.

Sky Darci is the fourth consecutive Derby winner to go under the hammer at the Karaka sales. In addition to Ping Hai Star, Furore (NZ) (Pierro {Aus}) was sold for NZ$210,000 as a yearling in 2016 and current Hong Kong king of the hill Golden Sixty fetched NZ$300,000 at the auction house's Ready To Run sale in 2017.

The dam of Chocante's gelded 2-year-old full-brother El Vencedor (NZ), Strictly Maternal is represented by a yearling full-brother to Sky Darci and missed to Shocking for 2020 before returning to the same stallion.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
BMW HONG KONG DERBY 2021-LR, HK$24,000,000 (£2,221,667/€2,593,350/A$3,975,501/US$3,090,927), Sha Tin, 3-21, NH/SH4yo, 2000mT, 2:01.32, gd.
1–SKY DARCI (NZ), 126, g, 4, by Darci Brahma (NZ)
1st Dam: Strictly Maternal (NZ), by O'Reilly (NZ)
2nd Dam: Take Silk (NZ), by Star Way (GB)
3rd Dam: Red Chiffon (Aus), by Sovereign Red (NZ)
1ST STAKES WIN. (NZ$160,000 Ylg '18 NZBJAN). O-Jessica Kwan Mun Hang; B-M W Freeman & D G Price; T-Caspar Fownes; J-Joao Moreira; HK$13,680,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-HK, 12-6-3-0, HK$21,037,965. *1/2 to Chocante (NZ) (Shocking {Aus}), GSW & G1SP-Aus, GSW-NZ, $315,590.
2–Russian Emperor (Ire), 126, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Atlantic Jewel (Aus), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). O-Mike Cheung Shun Ching; B-Coolmore, Lauri Macri & Parnters; T-Douglas Whyte; J-Karis Teetan; HK$5,280,000.
3–Panfield (Chi), 126, c, 4, Lookin At Lucky–Esterina (Arg), by Orpen. O-Yue Yun Hing; B-Agricola Taomina Ltda; T-Tony Millard; J-Chad Schofield; HK$2,400,000.
Margins: HD, HF, 1. Odds: 11-2, 37-10F, 25-1.
Also Ran: Excellent Proposal (Aus), Delightful Laos (Ire), Healthy Happy (Aus), Tourbillon Diamond (Aus), Packing Waltham (Fr), Silver Express (Aus), Lucky Express (Aus), Maximus (Ger), Shadow Hero (Aus), Congratulation, Conqueror (Aus).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing.

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