Golden Sixty’s advance to status as the world’s joint-best miler in the 2021 LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings and the presence of eight of Hong Kong’s top races in the World’s Top 100 Group 1 races last year are achievements to be proud of.
With a pool of only 1,300 horses to draw on – and no breeding industry – Golden Sixty’s effort to achieve an international rating of 125 to become the world’s equal highest-rated miler with British champions, Baaeed and the now retired Palace Pier, is an outstanding testament to Hong Kong racing.
Considering the impact of COVID-19, we are also pleased that eight of Hong Kong’s 12 Group 1 races featured in LONGINES World’s Top 100 G1 Races, based on figures released by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). Six of those races figured in the top 50.
These glowing endorsements came hard on the heels of Sunday’s unexpected events at Sha Tin where, just as history beckoned, Golden Sixty was beaten – for only the second time in 21 starts – in the G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) by Waikuku, proof once more that nothing can ever be assumed.
As Zac Purton and John Size both pointed out, the race was run perfectly to suit Waikuku and he duly delivered. John had Waikuku in peak condition for the race, Zac rated him superbly and the race could not have panned out in better circumstances.
John’s ability to handle horses as they age is one of the features of his training and while Waikuku is seven, he has been sparingly raced having had only 23 starts for eight wins, seven placings for earnings now of HK$43 million.
Golden Sixty could scarcely have been more honourable in defeat as he attempted to equal Silent Witness’ Hong Kong record of 17 successive wins. Trailing Waikuku by three and a quarter lengths at the 400m mark, Golden Sixty unleashed his customary finishing burst in a race-best of 21.95s to cut the final margin to three-quarters of a length but, in the end, he could not bridge the gap.
In any sport, the smallest of margins are magnified at elite level and Zac’s copybook on-pace ride gave Waikuku a third G1 in as many seasons, while Golden Sixty – who holds the overall record for the most wins in Hong Kong with 19 so far – lost no admirers with his courageous performance.
I have no doubt he will rebound powerfully for Francis Lui and Vincent Ho regardless of which race he tackles next.
One of the ironies around Sunday’s programme was the pre-meeting consensus that Vincent would ride a G1 winner on the day. However, few suspected it would be aboard Stronger in the Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) for Douglas Whyte – and not Golden Sixty.
Unplaced in four previous G1 attempts, Stronger showed the benefits of a wonderful preparation under Douglas, who added his first G1 victory as a trainer to the swath of decorations he amassed as a 13-time champion jockey in Hong Kong.
Proving persistence is a virtue, Stronger took until his 24th start to win over 1200m – and it deservedly came at the highest level – taking his prize money earnings to more than HK$16 million for his owners.
Quality racing continues this Sunday with the first leg of the HK$48 million Four-Year-Old Classic Series – the HK$12 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m), which features California Spangle, Romantic Warrior, Ima Single Man, Blaze Warrior, Fa Fa, Master Delight and Lucky With You, among others, in a highly-talented field.
Unfortunately, because of the recent worsening of the COVID-19 epidemic and after thoroughly reviewing the situation, we have closed our Off-Course Betting Branches (OCBBs) and Telebet services have been suspended to minimise the public health risk to protect the health and safety of our employees and customers.
We hope for understanding that these measures have been taken in line with our guiding principle that none of our activities should pose a health risk to our customers and employees.
In our risk assessment, we have seen that a number of our part-time employees live in an area which has seen a significant number of COVID cases and we have advised those employees not to come to work which, as a consequence, forced us to reduce our service levels and rely on digital channels for the time being.
We also understand the enthusiasm of our customers during the Chinese New Year but we simply cannot take any risks in the prevailing environment.
We will continue to closely monitor the development of the epidemic and I hope that, providing circumstances allow, that we can soon resume full services – and, ultimately race-track access – for our customers.
For the time being, we must continue to be prudent and cautious.
The Class 3 Conduit Handicap over 1650 metres is the eighth of nine races on Wednesday night and will be run at a good pace.
Joao Moreira will need to call on the speed of Oscar Glory to cross from his wide draw to make the running along with the well-drawn Fearless Fire and Keith Yeung. Both horses are place chances.
Joao’s only previous ride on Oscar Glory resulted in his lone win and now the in-form runner returns to Happy Valley for the first time in nine months. He is welcomed back with a difficult draw on the C+3 course. Oscar Glory returned on Friday from a rare visit to Conghua from where his trainer Frankie Lor has registered 22 of his 41 wins this season.
Fearless Fire is a horse that does his best work at Happy Valley however all but one of his six wins have come in Class 4.
Maldives is a win and place chance from the inside draw with Zac Purton. He comes off a good effort when caught behind a very slow pace in his last run and figures to get a good trip here from just inside midfield.
Invincible Missile will go back from his wide draw but will close the race off strongly as a place chance under Harry Bentley. He has good recent form over the course and distance.
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