Tag: Sha Tin

Hong Kong Favorite Beauty Generation To Retire In Special Ceremony At Sha Tin Jan. 24

Beauty Generation, one of the greatest champions in the history of Hong Kong racing, will be farewelled in a special ceremony on Sunday, 24 January.

Twice Hong Kong's Horse of the Year, Beauty Generation will return to Sha Tin Racecourse  – the scene of all of his extraordinary career highlights – for one final appearance before flying to Australia for a life of retirement at Living Legends in Melbourne.

The New Zealand-bred gelding, who was crowned Hong Kong Champion Miler an unmatched three times, won 18 races from 34 starts in Hong Kong and earned HK$106,233,750, making him the highest-ever prize money earner in Hong Kong history.

The eight-year-old, who finished his racing career with a gallant fifth behind Golden Sixty in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile on 13 December, bows out with eight G1 triumphs, five G2 successes and three G3 wins.

Additionally, he holds two course records at Sha Tin over 1,600 meters and 2,200 meters, having also once posted the fastest 1,400 meter time at the track. No horse in the history of Hong Kong racing has more wins in a single season than Beauty Generation, who posted eight wins through 2018-19.

Owner Patrick Kwok said: “Beauty Generation is the horse of a lifetime. He was a champion and we are indebted to the great bravery and determination which allowed him to scale the greatest heights.

“His many G1 wins, track records and horse of the year accolades serve as a worthy measure of his phenomenal qualities.

“We have been privileged and blessed by our association with a truly wonderful horse who has been cared for so brilliantly by John Moore, David Hayes, Zac Purton, Derek Leung as well as the stable staff. We are also honoured to own such a great horse that contributed in cementing Hong Kong racing on the world stage.

“We would also like to thank all the fans who support Beauty Generation from Hong Kong and overseas.”

“We farewell Beauty Generation with immense gratitude and a pledge to visit him eventually in his new home at Living Legends in Melbourne.”

John Moore – who is also soon bound for Australia – said: “Any horse who can go from 1,400 meters to 2,200 meters and break a track record must have a lot of ability because champions like him can do it over short and long,” Moore said.

“His toughness, his fighting spirit but he was a very sound horse – I don't even remember times when I had to go in with the vet, he was such a sound champion and that was one of his biggest assets – it held him in good stead throughout his career.”

Beauty Generation achieved the equal-highest international rating for a Hong Kong horse, joint at 127 along with Able Friend on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. He was allotted that mark in both 2018 and 2019 and was honoured as the world's leading specialist turf miler in both years.

Zac Purton, who will be on hand to say goodbye to Beauty Generation, remains in awe of the great champion's performance against an all-star cast of international G1 winners from Japan, Great Britain, Australia and Hong Kong in the 2018 G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile.

“He's the special one really, every jockey hopes that a horse like him comes along in their career and luckily for me he has and I've enjoyed the ride – he was a wonderful horse,” Purton said.  “There's many highlights but if I had to pick one, I'd say it was his 2018 Hong Kong Mile win, he drew a wide gate, they made him work into the first corner and it was a very strong field – Vivlos, as well as a number of other runners were in the race and he won by three lengths eased down.”

The ceremony will be broadcast during Sha Tin's prestige meeting on Sunday, 24 January which features the G1 Stewards' Cup (1600m) – a race Beauty Generation won in 2019 – as well as the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) and Hong Kong Classic Mile.

The post Hong Kong Favorite Beauty Generation To Retire In Special Ceremony At Sha Tin Jan. 24 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Magical 1000 Wins For Moreira

Hong Kong champion jockey Joao ‘Magic Man’ Moreira became only the third jockey in Hong Kong history to ride 1,000 winners on the island. The Brazilian was successful aboard Incanto Prepared (NZ) (Per Incanto) in the Class 4 Uranus H. over 1650 metres at Happy Valley on Wednesday. He joins 13-time champion Douglas Whyte (1813) and fellow champion Zac Purton (1209) in this elite millennial club.

“I can only describe it as a dream come true because I never dreamed that, to be honest, and I would never think that I could get to that mark in Hong Kong, knowing the place is such a tough place,” Moreira told the Hong Kong Jockey Club notes team. “I didn’t get there by myself–I had great support behind my back, pushing forward in all ways.

“Of course, good horses make the jockeys’ life much easier and I would describe the horses as the ones who make my life such a special life. I really enjoy doing what I do and I’m very pleased and glad to get to such a mark, a mark I never dreamed to get to–it’s very meaningful.

“I must dedicate this to my family, my wife [Taciana], my kids, my brothers and sisters and my mum, who are no doubt cheering for me to get to this mark and without their support, I would say I could never reach to this mark. Support is always the main thing behind the scenes.”

Moreira currently is on top of the Hong Kong jockey standings with 56 wins this season. Earlier in his career, he hit the 1000-win mark in South America, and was also a four-time Singapore champion reinsman from 2010-2013. He earned his first Hong Kong laurel in 2014/15 and repeated twice more so far, in 2015/16 and 2016/17.

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‘Happy To Get Out Of The Bubble’: Soumillon Emerges From COVID-19 Quarantine To Ride In Hong Kong

Sidelined from two of the most prestigious meetings in the world because of COVID-19, Belgian ace Christophe Soumillon is anxious to make up for lost opportunities – and time – when he resumes with a full book of rides at Sha Tin on Sunday, Dec. 20.

Diagnosed with COVID-19 shortly before the Breeders' Cup meeting at Keeneland on Nov. 7, the 10-time French champion surrendered a winning ride on Tarnawa in the US$4 million Breeders' Cup Turf.

Salting the wound, Soumillon also watched Order Of Australia – another confirmed mount – post an upset victory in the US$2 million Breeders' Cup Mile.

Unable to gain clearance to leave quarantine as scheduled in Hong Kong because of health protocols, Soumillon then forfeited the ride on Normcore, who claimed the HK$28 million LONGINES Hong Kong Cup under Zac Purton.

Compounding the situation, Soumillon also lost the winning ride on Lucky Patch at Sha Tin at the same meeting.

But, exhibiting an attitude which has impressed his peers and Hong Kong Jockey Club officials, Soumillon is squarely fixed on future positives rather than pondering negatives from the past.

“I knew they (Normcore and Lucky Patch) were gonna run well, probably win. I was ready to see, even a bit, Admire Mars fighting with Golden Sixty. That didn't happen,” he said after the Happy Valley trials this morning (Dec. 18).

“But, anyway, I came here to try my best. I knew had some good rides. Last Wednesday, at Happy Valley, I lost five winners, so the same.

“I'm coming here to compete and do my best. Unfortunately, the rules are the rules.

“I get positively tested in the US.

“I already lost this year the Breeders' Cup, I could win the French Derby, I could win the Arc. I could win many big races and I couldn't be on the horse at the right time some times because we didn't take the greatest decision and sometimes because you get the COVID-19.

“But some people are very sick and couldn't get back well after getting the disease, so it doesn't matter.

“I work enough to know that if I keep going like this, I will find other big winners in the future.

“I lost something, but I learnt different things so it's gonna make me stronger at the end of the day.

“Hopefully I'm gonna get some good rides on some very good horses, that's the target at the end.

“I just want to go back riding races, going to the winners' circle and doing what I do best.”

Such is Soumillon's appeal among owners and trainers, he is fully booked through Jan. 1, 2021, starting with a complement of 10 rides on Sunday.

“Really happy to get out of the bubble, finally I can do what I really love every day – riding horses and competing with other jockeys,” he said.

“Very excited to be racing on Sunday and my feelings are very good. I'm fit and well and ready to go.”

Proving every cloud has a silver lining, Soumillon has used the time in isolation pro-actively, building fitness and spending hours poring over replays and form.

“Because I was locked up for more than two weeks now, maybe three (weeks), I've had the time to look at the races properly and analyze every horse's trackwork and the way they are improving a lot,” he said.

“It was quite good in that way.

“My first two race days are fully booked and it's the same now until the first of January, so I feel a lot of good support from the owners and trainers.

“I just hope now I can do my job again, like I did before.”

Soumillon is hopeful Ballistic King is among his best chances to add to his tally of 110 Hong Kong winners in the Class 2 Bellflower Handicap (1400m).

“We didn't have the best draw (barrier 9), but the horse looks in form,” he said.

“He got beat not far away the last few races, just hoping he can jump out of the gates quite well.

“He looks a bit of a one-paced horse but he looks in form. I think he's going to run good.”

Synonymous with Hong Kong top-liners Viva Pataca, Bullish Luck, Good Ba Ba and Perfect Partner, Soumillon will belatedly start a two-month contract, grateful to be heading back into the fray.

“The opportunity is great, but unfortunately I got the disease,” he said.

“Now I'm fine, I'm 100 percent right I just hope things will go back as they to normal.”

Soumillon partners Bella Baby, Smart Thinker, Glenealy Generals, King Dragon, Resolute, Speed Fay Fay, Super Power Man, Winning For All, Perfect To Great and Ballistic King.

Sunday's 10-race fixture kicks off at 1pm with the Class 5 Sunflower Handicap (1000m).

The post ‘Happy To Get Out Of The Bubble’: Soumillon Emerges From COVID-19 Quarantine To Ride In Hong Kong appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Beauty Generation Retired

Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}–Stylish Bel {Aus}, by Bel Esprit {Aus}), a two-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year and only horse to surpass the HK$100 mark in career earnings, has been retired after his fifth in Sunday’s G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile. He will live out his days at Living Legends in Victoria, Australia, alongside other Hong Kong retirees Silent Witness (Aus), Mr Stunning (Aus) and California Memory, among others.

Bred by Nearco Stud Ltd., Beauty Generation was purchased for NZ$60,000 by Kylie Bax’s Hermes Syndications from the Highden Park draft at the NZB National Yearling Sale in 2014 and was sent to race in Australia. Trained by Anthony Cummings as Montaigne, the bay gelding won two of seven starts, including a runner-up effort in the G1 Rosehill Guineas, prior to his purchase by the Kwok Family.

Prepared in Hong Kong by John Moore, Beauty Generation was third to his late stablemate Rapper Dragon (Aus) (Street Boss) in the 2017 BMW Hong Kong Derby and set (and still holds) a track record for 2200 metres, but was reinvented as a 1400-1600m horse for the 2017-2018 season. He carried Derek Leung to a 15-2 upset in the 2017 G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile and Zac Purton was in the irons when wiring the field in the 2018 G1 Champions Mile.

The latter race was the start of an 18-month stretch where nothing could come close to Beauty Generation. In that time he amassed 10 consecutive wins, going back-to-back in the Hong Kong Mile (see below) and the Champions Mile and he peaked on a domestic rating of 138 following a first-up success in the G3 Celebration Cup H. Third in search of a three-peat in the 2019 Hong Kong Mile, he retained his zest for racing to post a second score in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) last February.  The last of his 18 local victories came in the G2 Chairman’s Trophy in April. David Hayes trained Beauty Generation for three starts this season following Moore’s retirement.

“I knew it may be on the table,” said Purton, who rode the champion 28 times. “It’s a bittersweet 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 [in Sunday’s Mile]  and wherever he may go in the world, I’m sure I’ll go and visit him in his paddock one day.”

 

WATCH: Beauty Generation defends his title in the 2018 Hong Kong Mile

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