sixty . goldthe two-time reigning Hong Kong horse of the year, having easily eliminated two younger competitors trying to claim that title, rallied for a decisive win at the Stewards’ Cup (G1) on January 29 at Sha Tin Racecourse—a race as eagerly awaited as any in decades.
ONE MIRACLE! 🤯🤯 Golden Sixty wins the 2023 Stewards’ Cup against Romantic Warrior and California Spangle below @Vincenthocy for Francis Lui. #Three crowns | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/c2jV9SNm9u
– HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 29, 2023
The duel with Romance Warrior and Sparkling California is a battle for supremacy and a battle of generations. Golden Sixty, 7, is about to lose to California Spangle, 5, at the Hong Kong Mile (G1) in December. Romance Warrior, also 5, has returned from winning the Hong Kong Cup (G1) in the same chapter. that program.
This time, the old man showed them how it was done.
As expected, California Spangle and jockey Zac Purton took the lead in the 1,600 meters (about a mile) of the Stewards’ Cup with the Romantic Warriors applying light pressure. Vincent Ho kept the Golden Sixty in a perfect position right behind those two as the pitch entered for long periods of time.
Picking up momentum, Golden Sixty reeled in the California Spangle and looked like the winner of the final 100 meters, scoring a point. The Romantic Warrior came in second, 1 1/4 better in length than the California Spangle in third.
“He’s very relaxed and this year he hasn’t pulled,” Ho said. “So when he dances really well, he still drops a bit and makes it easier for me to handle him and decide which position I want to take.
“If I want him to be faster, he’s faster, and if I let go of the reins, he’ll relax. So when Zac accelerates at half a mile, he (Golden Sixty) keeps going very well. well without any effort. I think Golden Sixty still has the best turn out of the three.”
The victory added to the pile of records already held by Golden Sixty, son of Medaglia d’Oro , coached by Francis Lui. His record now includes seven 1st grade wins. It also gives him a chance to win Horse of the Year for the third year in a row.
And that gives Lui the confidence to consider taking part in the Golden Sixty on the road—always a brave proposition for an exclusive horse race in Hong Kong.
Lui said: “I want to go but we will see how he stands up.
Ho added that the Golden Sixty is nominated for the Dubai Turf (G1) on March 25 at 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 mile) and the one-mile Yasuda Kinen (G1) on June 4 at Ho Chi Minh City. Tokyo Racecourse.
The Dubai Turf will be “a good race for him and it could be a preparatory race for him if we go to Japan because it’s left-handed and he can get used to the heat and all the heat,” Ho said. All of that. There’s a couple of options for us.”
In the second feature of the day, bubble journey won the Hong Kong Classic Mile, the first in a series of three races culminating in the Hong Kong Derby. The Deep field gelation, out rahy mare Raheightsled throughout the race and won the second race in a row.
The series expands unusually this season, and Journey Bubbles will presumably take on the role of his 1 1/4-long favorite.
