Sha Tin | Horse Racing Free Tips

A Dozen On the Trot For Golden Sixty

Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) had to channel his inner Usain Bolt in Sunday's G1 Stewards' Cup at Sha Tin, as the 5-year-old sprinted his final half-mile in a mind-boggling :44.18 and final 400 metres in a staggering :21.80 to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. His record now stands at 16 starts for 15 wins and his 12th consecutive score draws him ever closer to the local record of 17 straight held by the legendary Silent Witness (Aus).

Very little went according to script. With Zac Purton steering, Ka Ying Star (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) took up his customary spot at the head of affairs, with token pressure from Mighty Giant (NZ) (Power {GB}), but there was no pace on, as Golden Sixty settled six lengths away from third-last. Though Purton had rated Ka Ying Star a treat, Southern Legend (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) went on the attack from the box seat at the 400 metres, just as Vincent Ho was rousing the heavy favourite into action deepest out. The 1200-metres was achieved in 1:11.15, but Ho swung out Golden Sixty deepest of all, got after his mount in earnest with a furlong and a half to race and drove past Southern Legend to repeat the finish of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile six weeks back. Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) would also have been inconvenienced by the lack of speed and was hampered in the dying strides en route to a fast-finishing fourth.

“They went pretty slow all the way, actually, so he was a little keen and he was pulling a little bit and then everyone sprint[ed] home,” Ho told the HKJC notes team. “I knew I would still get there, but it was quite close.”

Winning trainer Francis Lui suggested that Golden Sixty could return to his Hong Kong Derby-winning distance of 2000 metres for his next start in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup Feb. 24 where he could run into Horse of the Year Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).

WATCH: Golden Sixty makes it 12 in a row in a thrilling Stewards' Cup

Pedigree Notes:

Bred on the exact same cross as American Grade I winners Elate and New Money Honey and the cross over Forty Niner responsible for dual champion Songbird, Golden Sixty is one of 26 top-level winners worldwide for Medaglia d'Oro, who was represented by an exciting new 'TDN Rising Star' in the form of Prevalence at Gulfstream Park Jan. 23. Golden Sixty has an unraced 3-year-old half-brother named Rainbow Connection (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}) and a yearling half-sister by Capitalist (Aus) that sold to All Winners Thoroughbreds for A$425,000 the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier this month. Having missed to Medaglia d'Oro's son Astern (Aus) in 2017 and to Trapeze Artist (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) in 2020, Gaudeamus was bred to Vancouver (Aus) on a late October 2020 cover. Read more on Golden Sixty's pedigree and upbringing here.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
STEWARDS' CUP-G1, HK$12,000,000 (£1,128,669/€1,275,325/A$1,996,071/US$1,548,035), 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:33.35, gd.
1–GOLDEN SIXTY (AUS), 126, g, 5, 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; J-Vincent Ho; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 4yo-HK, 16-15-0-0, HK$59,685,600. *1/2 to Igitur (Aus) (Helmet {Aus}), SP-Aus. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Southern Legend (Aus), 126, g, 8, Not A Single Doubt (Aus)–Donna's Appeal (Aus), by Carnegie (Ire). (A$280,000 Ylg '13 INGEAS). O-Boniface Ho Ka Kui; B-Corumbene Stud (NSW); T-Caspar Fownes; J-Karis Teetan; HK$2,640,000.
3–Ka Ying Star (GB), 126, g, 6, Cityscape (GB)–Casual Glance (GB), by Sinndar (Ire). O-Leung Shek Kong; B-Kingsclere Stud; T-Tony Cruz; J-Zac Purton; HK$1,200,000.
Margins: HD, HF, 3/4. Odds: 1-5, 10-1, 14-1.
Also Ran: Waikuku (Ire), Rise High (Fr), More Than This (GB), Champion's Way (Aus), Mighty Giant (NZ). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.

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Fownes Sends Out ‘Delight’-ful Duo In Classic Mile

Ten years on from his lone success in the Hong Kong Classic Mile with Lucky Nine (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), trainer Caspar Fownes starts two of the three top-rated gallopers in the first of the three legs of the 4YO Classic Series at Sha Tin Sunday afternoon.

Enrich Delight (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) will try to give his sire back-to-back winners of the Classic Mile, following on the success of Golden Sixty (Aus) last year, and has done little wrong in two Class 2 appearances over 1400 metres. A maiden winner and Group 3-placed for Anthony Freedman in Australia while racing as Chenier (Aus), the bay overcame a troubled trip to score on debut Nov. 29 and, after missing an intended start Dec. 13, finished a close, but luckless third, Jan. 10. Enrich Delight has the services of two-time Classic Mile-winning jockey Christophe Soumillon.

Sky Darci (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) is the selection of Joao Moreira and won his first three starts of this term, including a defeat of Lucky Express (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) in a Class 1 over course and distance Nov. 29 and was a latest second to the reliable Champion's Way (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) in open Group 3 company Jan. 1 after sitting a far inferior trip.

David Hayes sent out two Classic Mile winners during his previous stint in Hong Kong and tightens the girth around three runners Sunday. Shadow Hero (Aus) (Pierro {Aus}), whose sire accounted for 2019 winner Furore (NZ), was trained by Hayes to victories in the 2019 G1 Spring Champion S. and 2020 G1 Randwick Guineas, and hasn't been a true factor in two local runs after slow starts. To that end, Hayes is removing the blinkers and adding cheek pieces to the gelding, who ran on strongly to be third behind Tourbillon Diamond (Aus) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) Dec. 13. Zac Purton retains the ride.

The latter was well-tried in Australia for trainer Stuart Kendrick and closed out the 'Eric the Eel' portion of his career with a third in the G1 Australian Derby last April. His two local appearances for Danny Shum have been very promising, first storming home to be third behind Enrich Delight at 70-1 Nov. 29 before weaving through heavy traffic to be late on the scene last time.

Lucky Express has been in the top three in six of his eight Hong Kong starts and was a last-out third off a three-wide, no-cover trip over track and distance Jan. 1. He has place claims at rough odds.

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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

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Elusive State on Dubai World Cup Trajectory

Elusive State (Aus) (All American {Aus}) missed a crack at Dubai World Cup night in 2020 when the meeting was canceled at the 11th hour, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the 7-year-old could take his chance this year following a victory in a rare Class 1 handicap over the Sha Tin all-weather track Sunday afternoon.

Slow to start, Elusive State raced in a share of last into and around the first turn, but was asked to improve by Joao Moreira at the 1100-meter mark and by the end of the next furlong and a half, was alongside favored Kings Shield (Scat Daddy), “giving him the big eyeball,” in the words of commentator Tom Wood. Matching strides on the second turn, Elusive State pressed by the 133-pound top-weight in upper stretch and came home a 1 3/4-length winner (video). The target now becomes Middle East riches, even if Plan A seems to have fallen apart.

“One would have liked to have gone to Saudi Arabia–the Saudi Cup would have been his race over 1800m and that would be the actual race for him,” trainer Tony Millard told the HKJC's Leo Schlink, adding that there are significant obstacles regarding travel from Hong Kong to Riyadh.”

Originally programmed for the G2 Godolphin Mile on World Cup night, Elusive State is now likely for the marquee event following a discussion between Moreira and Millard.

“Quite clearly, he gave them a galloping lesson here today because it (the race pattern) wasn't what we wanted,” Millard said. “On the back of this, we'll be definitely be going for the [G1] World Cup instead of the G2 Godolphin Mile because Joao feels that with him losing his early speed, he reckons that will be the right race for him. I don't think he could have had a better run in than this–I'm quite excited. I think he's going to be a big runner.

Millard added: “It's taken a bit of time to get him back into form. Last year, we had hardly raced him and then with Dubai coming and going (traveling to Dubai before the carnival was abandoned because of COVID-19), it really upset the apple cart. “It's just lovely to have a horse like this and also to have a dream –that's what it's all about.”

Hong Kong's last runner in the World Cup was the Caspar Fownes-trained Gun Pit (Aus) (Dubawi {Ire}), who ran second in the 2016 G1 Al Maktoum Challenge – R3 with Moreira in the irons before finishing tailed off behind California Chrome in the main event.

WATCH: Elusive State (#2) takes out the Class 1 feature at Sha Tin Jan. 17

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