by Richard Edmunds, courtesy TDNAusNZ
Two-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}) and his long-time companion Zac Purton regained their rightful place with their eighth Group 1 victory in Sunday's Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin, his third consecutive victory in the 1400-metre event.
From relatively humble beginnings as an NZ$60,000 purchase at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka, Beauty Generation first rose to prominence as a quality 3-year-old who placed in the G1 Rosehill Guineas and G2 Hobartville S. in Sydney for trainer Anthony Cummings under his former name Montaigne (Aus).
It was in John Moore's Hong Kong stable that he blossomed into a superstar, stringing together an extraordinary sequence of high-level wins and breaking Hong Kong records with fast times and unprecedented prize-money earnings. A 10-race winning streak was surprisingly snapped in October, and he had to settle for minor placings in four consecutive races, though he hinted he might be on his way back when second in the G1 Stewards' Cup (1600m) last time.
But any claims that his star was on the wane were premature, and on Sunday he emphatically returned to the peak of his powers. Given a perfect run by Purton just behind the leading pair, Beauty Generation cruised into contention in the straight and stretched out powerfully to defeat Ka Ying Star (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) by half a length, with Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}) third. Continue reading in TDNAusNZ
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
QUEEN'S SILVER JUBILEE CUP-G1, HK$10,000,000 (£986,749/€1,187,352/A$1,915,262/US$1,287,374), 3yo/up, 1400mT, 1:21.64, gd.
1–BEAUTY GENERATION (NZ), 126, g, 7, by Road To Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: Stylish Bel (Aus), by Bel Esprit (Aus)
2nd Dam: Stylish Victory (Aus), by Durham Ranger
3rd Dam: Romantic Peace (Aus), by Mikado (Aus)
(NZ$60,000 Ylg '14 NZBJAN). O-Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen; B-Nearco Stud Ltd; T-John Moore; J-Zac Purton; HK$5,700,000. Lifetime Record: 2x Horse of the Year & 2x Ch. Miler HK, 36-19-4-7, HK$100,190,720. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
2–Ka Ying Star (GB), 126, g, 5, Cityscape (GB)–Casual Glance (GB), by Sinndar (Ire). O-Leung Shek Kong; B-Kingsclere Stud; T-Tony Cruz; J-Jamie Spencer; HK$2,200,000.
3–Hot King Prawn (Aus), 126, g, 5, Denman (Aus)–De Chorus (Aus), by Unbridled's Song. (A$90,000 Ylg '16 INGFEB). O-Lau Sak Hong; B-Torryburn Stud (NSW); T-John Size; J-Karis Teetan; HK$1,000,000.
Margins: HF, 1, HF. Odds: 3-5, 17-1, 77-10.
Also Ran: Thanks Forever (Aus), Beat the Clock (Aus), Rattan (NZ), Wishful Thinker (Aus). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
CITI HONG KONG GOLD CUP-G1, HK$10,000,000 (£986,749/€1,187,352/A$1,915,262/US$1,287,374), 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:02, gd.
1–TIME WARP (GB), 126, g, 7, by Archipenko
1st Dam: Here to Eternity, by Stormy Atlantic
2nd Dam: Heat of the Night (GB), by Lear Fan
3rd Dam: Hot Thong (Brz), by Jarraar
(€37,000 Ylg '14 TISEP). O-Martin Siu Kim Sun; B-Miss K Rausing; T-Tony Cruz; J-Joao Moreira; HK$5,700,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. Middle Distance Horse-HK, 42-12-4-5, HK$38,913,180. *Full to Glorious Forever (GB), G1SW-HK, $2,889,432. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
2–Exultant (Ire), 126, g, 6, Teofilo (Ire)–Contrary (Ire), by Mark of Esteem (Ire). O-Eddie Wong Ming Chak & Wong Leung Sau Hing; B-Ballygallon Stud Ltd; T-Tony Cruz; J-Zac Purton; HK$2,200,000.
3–Citron Spirit (Ire), 126, g, 8, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Citron Presse, by Lemon Drop Kid. (€450,000 HRA '14 ARQARC). O-Lau Ng Mui Chu; B-Mrs E Bifova; T-Ricky Yiu; J-Neil Callan; HK$1,000,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1, NK. Odds: 25-1, 1-5, 57-1.
Also Ran: Dark Dream (Aus), Eagle Way (Aus), Ho Ho Khan (NZ), Furore (NZ), Doctor Geoff (Ire), Southern Legend (Aus), Glorious Dragon (Ire), Northern Superstar (SAf). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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