The retirement of any champion, regardless of the sport, is always poignant and confirmation that GOLDEN SIXTY has run his last race marks not only the end of one of the most glorious chapters in Hong Kong racing history, but also international racing.
As we reflect on a truly outstanding career, there is an immense appreciation for GOLDEN SIXTY not merely as an amazing equine athlete but also as a symbol of resilience, excellence and inspiration to our city, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tragedy is a misused word in sport, but it is truly a shame that many of GOLDEN SIXTY’s towering performances occurred before only a smattering of participants and officials because of the prudent health and safety measures enacted regarding social distancing at the time.
Despite this, few horses in Hong Kong racing history have exerted such a positive influence on this city – even in isolation – than GOLDEN SIXTY and that is why, for so many people, the highlight of his career came at his penultimate start when, as an eight-year-old and resuming after a 224-day break, GOLDEN SIXTY obliterated a world-class field to win a third G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) in front of 65,252 attendees.
The stunning acceleration he showed that day was simply exhilarating and that performance alone, among 26 wins and three placings from 31 starts for world record prizemoney of HK$167,170,600, is for many people the abiding memory of an incredible racehorse.
Our affection for GOLDEN SIXTY grew with every start and the adoration Hong Kong racing purists reserved for this mighty champion was never more evident than with the ovation he received when finishing fourth at his final start in the G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) in April.
I would like to congratulate owner Mr Stanley Chan, trainer Francis Lui and jockey Vincent Ho for their inspired and prudent management of a horse who not only won 10 Group 1 races but also captured the hearts of Hong Kong.
As a keen supporter of many sports, and especially the progress of Hong Kong athletes in different fields around the world, I cannot recall another athlete consistently shining as much sporting credit on Hong Kong than GOLDEN SIXTY managed across his six-season career.
In many ways, we are indebited to him and I wish him the very best in retirement in Japan and I would urge everyone to join us at Sha Tin on Sunday (22 September) to farewell GOLDEN SIXTY during the G3 Celebration Cup meeting when we will bade him goodbye.
Our World Pool programme continues on Saturday with feature meetings from Flemington and Leopardstown.
The first of three races from Australia is the Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m), which is carded as S1-1 and will be run at 1.40pm. The feature race is the G1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), which is carded as S1-2 and will be run 2.20pm.
The pace will be strong with PRIDE OF JENNI going forward from gate seven to take the lead for Declan Bates. PRIDE OF JENNI was disappointing on face value when resuming in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) on 31 August but her second-up record is excellent and she is a place chance.
MR BRIGHTSIDE tried hard when resuming for second in the Memsie Stakes behind surprise winner PINSTRIPED. MR BRIGHTSIDE won this race last year and is a place chance for Craig Williams.
James McDonald and VIA SISTINA come to Melbourne after combining to win the G1 Winx Stakes (1400m) in Sydney three weeks ago. VIA SISTINA is a world-class mare who has won Group 1 races in both hemispheres. Her record is outstanding since transferring from George Boughey’s stable in Newmarket to Chris Waller in Australia and she is my win and place selection.
PINSTRIPED (Ben Allen) was a surprise winner of the Memsie Stakes but deserves respect on that victory and ANTINO (Blake Shinn) missed an important piece of work leading to his fourth in that race and can improve on that effort. Both are place chances.
International action continues at Leopardstown with the Ingabelle Stakes, which is carded as S2-1 and is run at 8.10pm.
The first of the meeting’s feature races is the G1 Matron Stakes (1600m), which is carded as S2-4 at 9.50pm.
English trainer Karl Burke has taken FALLEN ANGEL twice to Ireland for Group 1 races in the past and has come away victorious both times. Last year, FALLEN ANGEL won the Moyglare Stud Stakes at The Curragh beating VESPERTILIO, with PORTA FORTUNA in a deadheat for third.
At her last start, FALLEN ANGEL led for most of the trip to easily win the Irish 1000 Guineas on 26 May. James Doyle takes the ride and FALLEN ANGEL is my win and place selection.
PORTA FORTUNA resumed this year when second to ELMALKA in the English Thousand Guineas and has improved further winning the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and then beat the older mares in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on 12 July when coming clear to win by a big margin from JABAARA and ROGUE MILLENNIUM.
PORTA FORTUNA is the flagship horse of young trainer Donnacha O’Brien’s team and she is the main danger to FALLEN ANGEL.
Of the other runners YLANG YLANG for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore and unbeaten filly JANCIS for Declan McDonogh and Wayne McCreery are place chances.
The G1 Irish Champion Stakes (2000m), is carded as S2-5 and will be run at 10.25pm.
Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien has dominated the race in recent years having won the past five renewals and is searching for his 13th win in the race since winning the race for the first time in 2000 with Giant’s Causeway.
Aidan saddles 2022 winner LUXEMBOURG, last year’s winner AUGUSTE RODIN, this year’s Irish Derby winner LOS ANGELES and HANS ANDERSEN.
AUGUSTE RODIN won the G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes (1993m) at Royal Ascot and then disappointed as favourite in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2392m) when a well-beaten fifth to GOLIATH. Ryan Moore rides AUGUSTE RODIN and, considering the incredible run Aidan and Ryan are having this year, he is my win and place selection.
Declan McDonogh rides LUXEMBOURG and Dylan McDonagle partners LOS ANGELES for Aidan and both will run well and have place claims.
ECONOMICS, a rapidly emerging three-year-old trained by William Haggas, is favoured by many to outshine Aidan’s quartet. ECONOMICS is undefeated in three runs this year and was impressive in beating JAYAREBE in a Group 2 race at Deauville on 15 August. This is a big jump in class but ECONOMICS is an exceptional talent and is a place chance.
Japan is represented by SHIN EMPEROR who ran third in the Japanese Derby (2400m) to DANON DECILE on 26 May. SHIN EMPEROR is on a path to the Arc de Triomphe next month but can run well for Ryusei Sakai.
Of the other runners, GHOSTWRITER is a talented three-year-old who ran magnificently when a fighting third to CITY OF TROY in the Juddmonte International (2051m) at York last month. Clive Cox has great faith in GHOSTWRITER and he is a place chance for Richard Kingscote.
Comment
