The Laboratory of Racing Chemistry, Japan (LRC) has been provisionally appointed as an International Federation of Horseracing Authorities Reference Laboratory after the IFHA Executive Council approved the appointment. Established in 1965, the LRC is an internationally accredited horse racing doping control laboratory primarily used to provide professional analytical testing services for the analysis of equine biological samples from horse racing and international equestrian events. LRC is the only equine drug testing laboratory in Japan, and its main role is to uphold the integrity of horse racing in Japan to ensure a level playing field for all stakeholders.
The Auctav July Online Sale features a diverse catalogue, with almost half of the 20 offerings broodmares in foal. Five Flat mares are carrying to dual Group 3 winner Chachnak (Fr) (Kingman {GB})-Blue Mood (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (lot 6), Great Trip (Lemon Drop Kid) (lot 13), Peace City (Fr) (Elusive City) (lot 15), Pyramid Street (Street Sense) (lot 16), Aimante (Fr) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 18), and the winner Candinie (Bernardini) (lot 19). Dourada (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), lot 10, is in foal to Triple Threat (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}). The sale will take place online from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on July 21.
Since the change of the G1 Grand Prix de Paris trip to 12 furlongs in 2005, there is a sense that the Bastille Day feature has grown in stature and in this year's edition the quality has inched up again due mainly to the fact that Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) is here. It is 10 years since a winner of the G1 Irish Derby appeared in this race and that was Treasure Beach (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who was fourth behind another of Andre Fabre's record 13 winners in Meandre (Fr) (Slickly {Fr}), but Godolphin's June 26 Curragh Classic winner looks in a different league to that former Ballydoyle representative and he sets a lofty standard on Wednesday. If able to reproduce the form of his half-length defeat of Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with the re-opposing Wordsworth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) seven lengths adrift, Hurricane Lane will probably be out on his own but there are some serious lurkers in this field who could close the gap.
One is M M Stables' Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}), who beat Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Lone Eagle in the Apr. 23 G3 Sandown Classic Trial which remains one of the strongest pieces of 3-year-old form this year. His subsequent win off an absence in Royal Ascot's G2 King Edward VII S. June 18 means that he needs to step up and his outside draw has done him no favours.
Another who went to Royal Ascot was Sir Lamorak (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), but while Wordsworth was contesting the G2 Queen's Vase he was running to a similar figure under topweight in the King George V H. over this trip. Previously pulled out of the G3 Chester Vase due to the rain-softened ground, he remains under the radar but showed with his 3 3/4-length success in a 10-furlong Leopardstown handicap Apr. 11 that he possesses the kind of acceleration to make a mark in this company.
Gestut Schlenderhan's Northern Ruler (Ger) (Ruler of the World {Ire}) beat the May 24 G2 Prix Hocquart winner Bubble Gift (Fr) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the G3 Prix du Lys over this trip at Chantilly June 20 and is dangerously unexposed having been a third supplementary entry on Saturday. Zak Bloodstock's Bubble Gift may have been a touch unlucky in that contest and trainer Mikel Delzangles is expecting improvement off that effort. “Bubble Gift came out of the Prix du Lys Longines well,” he commented. “He goes on all ground and he has already won at ParisLongchamp, which will certainly be an advantage. All the lights are on green and we are ready to run.”
Another outsider is Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard's Baby Rider (Fr) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who took the G2 Prix Greffulhe over 10 1/2 furlongs at Saint-Cloud May 1 before disappointing when only 14th in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club over that trip at Chantilly June 6. “In the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, Baby Rider couldn't get his breathing together and logically he was then unable to accelerate at the finish,” trainer Pascal Bary said. “It would be ideal to have good ground and after the supplementation of the Irish Derby winner and Epsom Derby third Hurricane Lane, our task is complicated even further. There are some excellent horses still in the race but one thing is for sure, Baby Rider is in great form and will run a big race.”
Also on the card is the G2 Prix de Malleret over the same mile-and-a-half trip, which is diverted from Saint-Cloud and features The Aga Khan's highly-regarded Khalidiya (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who needs to bounce back from a deflating 16th in the G1 Prix de Diane over 10 1/2 furlongs at Chantilly June 20. From Britain is the Joseph Tuite-trained Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who beat the subsequent winner Chiasma (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by 5 1/2 lengths over a mile and a quarter at Goodwood May 22. In the 14-furlong G2 Prix Radio FG, or Prix Maurice de Nieuil as it is better known, there is a fascinating rematch between Haras de la Gousserie's Skazino (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) and The Aga Khan's Valia (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Two lengths separated them in the G2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier over 300 metres further here last time May 24, but Skazino has a three-pound penalty this time and the filly should be sharper for that reintroduction.
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.
