Since his sole taste of defeat in July of 2019, Golden Sixty has been an unstoppable force in Hong Kong racing, stringing together spectacular victories in the Hong Kong Classic Mile, Hong Kong Classic Cup, Hong Kong Derby, G3 Celebration Cup, G2 Sha Tin Trophy, G2 Jockey Club Mile, G1 Hong Kong Mile, G1 Stewards’ Cup, G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup and now the G1 Champions Mile.
Most of those victories have come with a trademark finishing burst that none of his rivals could resist, but Sunday’s Champions Mile was something very different.
With a field of only six, it was a tactical and slowly run race, with Golden Sixty sitting last through the first 800 metres.
Regular rider Vincent Ho decided to make his move a long way from home, surging forward out wide as the field made their way down the side of the track.
Golden Sixty swooped to the front rounding the home turn, and he powered clear with 300 metres to run. While many of his victories have been in front of empty stands because of COVID-19, this time there was a crowd at Sha Tin, and this time there was a roar as their champion made what looked like a winning move.
There was a massive late scare as his unheralded stablemate More Than This (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) came with an unexpected late charge, drawing level and looking likely to pass Golden Sixty.
But the superstar called on his champion qualities and found a little bit more, holding on to win by a head.
“That was exciting,” Ho said. “We learned something new again today – he’s never been chased before.
“That was exciting. We learned something new again today – he’s (Golden Sixty) never been chased before.” - Vincent Ho
“Joao (Moreira, riding More Than This) came up on his outside really quickly, but he fought back. When he saw him, he took off again, so I’m very happy. The pace was quite slow, but, yeah, he’s a superstar.”
Golden Sixty was bred in Queensland by Asco International Pty Ltd, and he is by former Darley shuttle stallion Medaglia d’Oro (USA) out of Gaudeamus (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}), who won the G2 Debutante S. in Ireland.
Relocating to Australia for her broodmare career, Gaudeamus is the dam of six winners from eight foals to race. Golden Sixty is the clear headline act, but Igitur (Helmet) was a Tasmanian Derby placegetter, and this season’s 3-year-old gelding Rainbow Connection (Choisir) finished third in the South Pacific Classic at Randwick during The Championships earlier this month. Gaudeamus produced a filly by Capitalist in 2019.
Medaglia d'Oro (USA) sire of Golden Sixty | Standing at Darley America
Element Hill offered Golden Sixty at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was bought by Riversley Park and Enigma Farm for $120,000.
Riversley Park sent him through the ring again in the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale later that year, where trainer Francis Lui secured him for NZ$300,000.
Golden Sixty has now had 18 starts for 17 wins, the last 14 of them in a row and four of them at Group 1 level.
Wellington dashes to Sprint success
Australia’s other Group 1 triumph came with Wellington (All Too Hard) heading an Australian-bred clean sweep of the Chairman’s Sprint Prize.
Ridden by Alexis Badel for trainer Richard Gibson, the 4-year-old settled in sixth before angling off the rail and out into clear air at the top of the home straight.
Wellington began to warm up through his gears but still had plenty of work to do with half of the home straight used up, still having four horses in front of him with just over 200 metres to run.
But then he hit full flight and charged down the centre of the track, reeling in Computer Patch (Exceed And Excel) and powering past to win by 1.5l. Sky Field (Deep Field), ridden by Blake Shinn, was the same margin away in third.
Bred by Kia Ora Stud, David Paradise and Steve McCann, Wellington has become the fourth Group 1 winner for Vinery Stud stallion All Too Hard, following in the footsteps of Alligator Blood, Behemoth and Forbidden Love. It was a big weekend for his progeny, with his talented New Zealand son Demonetization capturing Saturday’s G2 Easter H. at Ellerslie.
All Too Hard sire of Wellington | Standing at Vinery Stud
Wellington’s dam is Mihiri (More than Ready {USA}), who won four races and placed in the G2 ATC Breeders’ Classic. Wellington is one of two foals to race for the mare, the other being 2-year-old Turnstar (Star Turn), who has placed this season.
Bought for $70,000 by Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm from Kia Ora Stud’s draft at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Wellington has had 10 starts for seven wins and more than HK$18 million (AU$2,994,493) in stakes. The Chairman’s Sprint Prize was his first victory at stakes level.
Loves Only You captures Cup
In the third of Sunday’s Group 1 features, the FWD Queen Elizabeth II Cup, Japanese raiders filled all of the first four placings as Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) stormed to victory over Glory Vase (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) and Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn})
Loves Only You was ridden by Ho, who claimed his second Group 1 victory within the space of 35 minutes, having partnered Golden Sixty in the previous race on the program.
Out of the unraced mare Loves Only Me (USA) (Storm Cat {USA}), Loves Only You is a full sister to the G1 Dubai Turf winner Real Steel (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), as well as fellow stakes winner Prodigal Son (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
Previously the winner of the G1 Tokyo Yushun Himba and G2 Kyoto Kinen, Loves Only You has now had 13 starts for six wins and four placings. She has also placed in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic and two editions of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto.
