One champion departs as another announces himself.
It is a theme that has repeated itself throughout the history of Hong Kong racing and it has come around again with the news that Beauty Generation is to retire in the very same week that Golden Sixty finally replaced him as the highest rated horse in town.
It has been great to see how much international recognition Golden Sixty has received for his thrilling LONGINES Hong Kong Mile success this week and his new local mark of 131 leaves him 3lb ahead of Beauty Generation and Exultant at the top of the ratings list.
Anyone who witnessed the way that Vincent Ho’s mount swooped on a high-class field last Sunday will surely agree that he has the potential to rate even higher given the right circumstances but it is important to avoid being a prisoner of the moment and recognise that Golden Sixty still has a way to go to emulate our previous champion.
Zac Purton has roared back to form with nine winners at the last three meetings and summed up his old friend Beauty Generation neatly this week by saying “it felt like he was invincible for a long period.”
Records tumbled as Beauty Generation gathered 18 victories, eight G1 successes, two HKIR wins, a handful of track records and well over HK$100 million in prize money under John Moore’s tutelage. Everyone will have their favourite memory of his amazing career but, for me, it is hard to beat his second Hong Kong Mile win in 2018.
Beauty Generation was fresh from smashing the track record in the Jockey Club Mile that day and took a high-class field apart – including Sunday’s Hong Kong Mile runner-up Southern Legend – in a way that earned him the title of world’s best miler.
So long, BEAUTY GENERATION 美麗傳承 ?
Relive one of his finest moments in the @HKJC_Racing Mile in 2018. Was it your favourite? pic.twitter.com/lThNav2uEC
— World Horse Racing (@WHR) December 15, 2020
I am sure he will enjoy a fruitful retirement with fellow Hong Kong stars like Silent Witness, Good Ba Ba, Mr Stunning and others down at Living Legends Farm in Australia but, in the meantime, we are looking forward to welcoming a different type of champion back to Sha Tin this weekend.
Christophe Soumillon has gone through a torrid time over the last six weeks, missing out on two Breeders’ Cup winners when he tested positive for Covid-19 in Kentucky then losing the winning Hong Kong Cup ride on Normcore to Zac Purton last Sunday because of an abnormality in one of his many tests since arriving here.
The Club has monitored Christophe closely while he has been in quarantine since his arrival here last month and, after multiple further negative tests over the last week, he is free to commence his short-term contract this Sunday.
Others might dwell on what was lost by missing out on three G1 winners – and it was clearly considerable in financial terms – but I only can say that Christophe’s professionalism is second to none and he clearly understands that the protection of the industry is of paramount importance.
He is a sportsman at heart but he is also determined to really make an impact on Hong Kong racing and the fact that he has several good chances among a full book of ten rides on Sunday shows clearly how trainers feel about having him back with us for an extended period.
Sunday’s Class 2 Bellflower Handicap is the final race of the meeting and will be run over 1400m with Ugly Warrior, Good Luck Friend and Beauty Smile going forward to set a good pace. Thinkin’ Big and Beauty Rush will be in the next group and in close attendance.
Thinkin’ Big makes his second start of the season after a promising first-up effort and has the dual advantage of a good draw and light weight. He should get a nice run from the box seat and is a place chance for Jerry Chau.
Band Of Brothers is working very well, while Christophe’s mount Ballistic King has been highly consistent in competitive races over the track and distance. Both will move in tandem from just behind midfield and will close the race off strongly as win and place chances. Invincible Missile will go back from his wide draw and is capable of a fast closing sectional, while the lightly-raced Healthy Happy is open to improvement and is also a place chance.
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