Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
When the team at Element Hill Stud welcomed a Medaglia D’Oro (USA) colt out of Gaudeamus (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}) in the spring of 2015, never in their wildest dreams did they imagine the resultant foal would turn out to become arguably Hong Kong’s greatest horse of all-time.
Said horse, of course, is Golden Sixty, who on Sunday will make his fourth and final appearance at the prestigious Hong Kong International Races (HKIR). The 8-year-old will be looking to emulate the deeds of the brilliant Good Ba Ba (USA) (Lear Fan {USA}) by becoming a three-time winner of the G1 Hong Kong Mile.
And according to Mitchell Frazer, stud manager at Element Hill Stud, nobody will be cheering louder than the crew at the Running Creek-based boutique broodmare stud farm, which was established by John Hutchins and family in 2010.
“We’re all looking forward to Sunday to see whether he can do it again. We will be watching on with great interest and hopefully he can get the job done,” Frazer told The Thoroughbred Report.
“We’re all looking forward to Sunday to see whether he (Golden Sixty) can do it again. We will be watching on with great interest and hopefully he can get the job done.” - Mitchell Frazer
“It’s going to be a big weekend, as Zoumon, who we bred, is running in the G1 Northerly S. at Ascot on Saturday.”
The Francis Lui-trained gelding, who has been Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year the past four seasons, boasts a phenomenal record of 25 wins and three placings from 29 starts, with earnings of a staggering HK$147,930,600 (AU$29,003,400). In April, Golden Sixty not only claimed his third consecutive victory in the G1 Champions Mile, he chalked up nine triumphs at the highest level.
Golden Sixty claimed his third consecutive victory in the G1 Champions Mile in April | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“It’s been unbelievable, it’s great for the farm and it’s great for the Hutchinses, they’ve put a lot into this industry, so it’s good for them to get that reward,” Frazer said.
“If he’s not the greatest horse in Hong Kong of all-time, he’s got to be the best horse of the modern era; he’s the only horse to be voted Horse of the Year four years in a row.
“If he’s (Golden Sixty) not the greatest horse in Hong Kong of all-time, he’s got to be the best horse of the modern era.” - Mitchell Frazer
“He’s just a magnificent horse and we are so proud of him.”
Golden Sixty was consigned by Element Hill at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with Riversley Park/Enigma Farm buying him for $120,000. He was later purchased by Lui for NZ$300,000 from the Riversley Park draft at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.
Gallery: Golden Sixty as a yearling, images courtesy of Magic Millions
“He was a beautiful young horse, I actually thought he would make a bit more money. Medaglia’s progeny were selling well, so, yeah, I thought he would bring a bit more, and he was such a good type,” explained Frazer.
“He was such a well-mannered horse, he was just a lovely colt.
“He (Golden Sixty) was such a well-mannered horse, he was just a lovely colt.” - Mitchell Frazer
“He ended up in New Zealand at the Ready to Run Sale and the rest is history.”
The task ahead
Golden Sixty will be first-up in Sunday’s HK$32 million (AU$6.27 million) Hong Kong Mile. He has 13 rivals, including top-level winners California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) and Serifos (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), as well as Beauty Eternal (Starspangledbanner), Beauty Joy (Sebring) and Soul Rush (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}).
“He likes to run fresh. It’s been a long time, it’s a tough field, especially the Japanese horses. Hopefully he stays away from trouble and gets a clean run,” Lui said of his charge.
Golden Sixty’s assignment was made a little more diffiuclt on Thursday when he drew the outside gate (14).
More to come?
Josh Hutchins Bloodstock paid Wood Nook Farm $160,000 for the Leopardstown Group 2 scorer Gaudeamus (in foal to Medaglia D’Oro) at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale Select Session. She is the dam of 10 named foals, eight have raced, six are winners.
Residing at Element Hill, Gaudeamus is the dam of Hong Kong Champion Golden Sixty | Image courtesy of Element Hill
Gaudeamus has a Vancouver filly, making her a three-quarter sister to Golden Sixty, named Golden Millions. The 2-year-old was retained to race by the Hutchinses and is with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace at Moss Vale.
“She’s only a 2-year-old, but the reports are promising. Hopefully, she has good ability,” Frazer commented.
“She’s (Golden Millions) only a 2-year-old, but the reports are promising. Hopefully, she has good ability.” - Mitchell Frazer
Golden Millions as a yearling, the filly is a three-quarter sister to Hong Kong Champion Golden Sixty | Image courtesy of Element Hill
Golden Sixty also has a yearling half-sister by Wootton Bassett (GB).
“She is a beautiful filly, she’s just gorgeous,” Frazer said.
Gaudeamus is not in foal as yet, but that may soon change, with the mare to be covered by Coolmore’s young stud Home Affairs in the coming days.
“She’s still going around, we’re trying to get her back in foal,” he said.
“Hopefully, we can get a few more from her.
“She didn’t click with Maurice, so she’s going to be served by Home Affairs in the next day or two.”
“She (Gaudeamus) didn’t click with Maurice, so she’s going to be served by Home Affairs in the next day or two.” - Mitchell Frazer
As for Golden Sixty’s future, he is slated for probable retirement in Japan after only a handful of runs this season. Frazer, though, said Element Hill hasn’t given up hope of having its champion return to the property once time is called on his glittering career.
