Golden Sixty

A total of 162 nominations from 10 racing jurisdictions, including no fewer than 61 Group 1/Grade I winners, have been received by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for the HK$95-million Longines Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin Racecourse Dec. 13. "We are delighted to have such strong nominations for our four Group 1 races in December," said Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing for the HKJC. "Considering the current climate in regard to the COVID-19 situation, it just reiterates that the Longines Hong Kong International Races are recognised the world...

Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock {Aus}) and Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}), two of the five highest-rated horses in Hong Kong, are the heavyweights in a pair of Group 2 races Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse, but face younger and well-handicapped rivals who figure to take all the beating. On a rating of 130, the 8-year-old Beauty Generation remains Hong Kong's top-rated galloper and he will--once again--have to deal with rising superstar Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), this time in the Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy H. (1600m)....

Sunday's G3 Celebration Cup H. was billed as something of a David versus Goliath matchup between Classic series sweeper Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) and multiple Hong Kong Horse of the Year Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}). But, in receipt of a whopping 17 pounds from the 8-year-old, Golden Sixty--having his first start since winning the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) in March--kicked in with what has become his trademark finishing speed to post a facile success, as Beauty Generation and Champion's Way (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) hit the...

Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was named 2019/2020 Horse of the Year in Hong Kong Thursday in a virtual ceremony, as stricter social distancing protocols within the context of a third wave of coronavirus in the region put pay to the scheduled live proceedings. Bred by Ballygallon Stud, Exultant won four of his seven trips to the post during the season, calling on all his class and stamina for victories in the G1 FWD Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) and a successful defence of his title in the G1 Standard Chartered...

Stanley Chan Ka Leung's Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) will not contest the G1 FWD QEII Cup Apr. 26, according trainer Francis Lui Wednesday. The winner of 10 of 11 career starts, the bay won his seven latest trips to post, including the Mar. 22 BMW Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin. "He's achieved a lot this season and we feel he needs a rest now to refresh his mind and let him develop," said Lui. "He'll have a summer break and then we'll prepare him for next season." Following...

Coronavirus has had a major affect on horse racing all across the globe, forcing the temporary abandonment of racing in a handful of prominent racing states in America, as well as Britain, France, hard-hit Italy and South Korea, while other places soldier on in front of empty grandstands. Hong Kong lies roughly 700 miles due south of Wuhan, the widely accepted epicentre of the virus's outbreak, but owing to aggressive action by the government and a populace that adhered strictly to preventive measures, racing has been allowed to continue in...

by Alan Carasso Neither a minor temperature nor Sunday's 1800-metre trip proved a task too tall for the talented Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), who was the recipient of a thinking-man's ride from the up-and-coming Vincent Ho and showed his customary electric turn of foot to add the Hong Kong Classic Cup to his prior victory in the Hong Kong Classic Mile. Now just once-beaten in 10 trips to the races, Golden Sixty can join the late Rapper Dragon (Aus) (Street Boss) as the only horses in history to sweep...

A field of 10 4-year-olds bred in either hemisphere line up for Sunday's HK$10-million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m), a field in which the top-rated galloper has some questions to answer and is likely to play second fiddle--at least from a pari-mutuel standpoint-to a stable companion. Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) is rated on 112 entering this middle leg of the 4YO Classic series, having posted eight wins from his nine trips to the post to date. He is perfect in five runs this season, including a defeat of more...

by Alan Carasso Dispatched the $1.80 (5-4 on) favourite to run his lifetime record to eight wins from nine runs, Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) took off once in the clear in upper stretch and whooshed home to best his Francis Lui stablemate More Than This (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) by a comfortable 1 1/4 lengths. The early sections of the Classic Mile were run at a muddling pace, and that caused the likes of Star Performance (NZ) (Per Incanto) and the well-backed Beauty Legacy (Aus) (Fiorente {Ire}) to overrace...

by Alan Carasso A trio of 100-plus rated 4-year-old heads to the post for Monday's first leg of the Classic series in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Classic Mile. Two of those have already achieved the rare feat of defeating more seasoned gallopers at group level, including the very progressive Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro). One of a pair of entrants from the on-fire Francis Lui yard, the gelded son of Gaudeamus (Distorted Humor) has won eight from nine, including a commanding two-length tally in the G3 Chinese Club Challenge...

Enjoying the benefit of a feathery 116 pounds while making his black-type debut in Wednesday's G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup H. at Sha Tin, Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) easily and impressively validated odds-on favouritism against older rivals in this steppingstone to the Hong Kong Classic Mile versus fellow 4-year-olds Jan. 27. The mount of leading homegrown rider Vincent Ho, Golden Sixty took up a spot in the latter third of the field as Ka Ying Star (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) galloped them along up front as is his wont. Quietly...