In front of a crowd estimated at 30,000 who have waited more than three years for this day to arrive, three of the four Group 1 events on Sunday at the Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting went the way of the home team. home, even when they are the brightest. obscured stars on an overcast afternoon at Sha Tin Racecourse in the New Territories.
Golden Sixty (Australia) (Medaglia d’Oro) was the $1.50 (1-2) favorite to win a third consecutive Hong Kong Mile to equal the record set by Good Ba Ba (Lear Fan) from 2007-2009. His main opponent is Sparkling California (Ire) (Sparkling banner {Aus}), a €150,000 purchase by Goffs Orby, who failed to win the Golden Sixty on several occasions, including the last at the G2 Jockey Club Mile when the California Spangle broke through the weight class and won. considerable speed. Delivered an ice-crushing ride on Sunday afternoon by Zac Purton, the 4-year-old was overtaken by a steady friend in the turn, but Purton never panicked, giving the California Spangle the lead in the upper stretch. and Golden Sixty couldn’t quite catch up.
Purton said: “He’s a lot more comfortable this season and he keeps coming back underneath me. “I kept trying to chase him but he was waiting for other horses. I think today we saw that he has a bit of flexibility.”
The power of last year’s Classic horse season was further amplified in the wealthiest event of the day, the Longines Hong Kong Cup, home to the BMW Hong Kong Derby and G1 FWD hero QE II Cup Romance Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) helped a team with an easy track score a very convincing 4 1/2 for Longines World’s Best Driver James McDonald, in place of Karis Teetan. Romance Warrior was sold to Hong Kong Jockey Club for 300,000gns at Tattersalls October 2019 Sale before selling to owner Peter Lau at Hong Kong International Sale 2021 with for 4.8 million Hong Kong dollars. With Sunday’s win, the Romantic Warrior increased his purchase price dozens of times.
The defending champion sprint Wellington (Australia)son of Black Caviar’s half brother All Too Hard (Aus), just a 3-1 chance in the Longines Hong Kong Sprint behind in favor Lucky Sweynesse (New Zealand) (Sweynesse {Aus}), the winner of the local prep in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint three weeks ago. However, with a perfect ride from Ryan Moore – replacing the injured Alexis Badel, the 6-year-old – crippled from the JC Sprint – proved his superiority with a successful three-quarters of the smooth length.
Japan won the Hong Kong Longines vase for the third time in four years when Damian Lane-ridden Victory Marilyn (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) has completed Godolphin’s Botany (Ire) (Golden whistle {GB}) and defending champion Vase of Glory (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), made his last appearance in his career. Aidan O’Brien Trained Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Broom (Ire) (Australia {GB}) is not a serious factor.
The full race report will appear in this space the following Sunday.
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
HONG KONG-G1 LONGINES CUPHK$34,000,000, Sha Tin, 12-11, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 1:59.70, gd.
first-TRADITIONAL WINNER (IRE), 126, g, 4, by Acclamation (GB)
1st Dam: Folk Melodies (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Folk Opera (Ire), by Singspiel (Ire)
3rd Dam: Skiphall (GB), by Halling
(300,000 gns Ylg ’19 TATOCT; HK$4,800,000 HRA ’21 HKJUN). O-Peter Lau Pak Fai; B-Corduff Stud & TJ Rooney; T-Danny Shum CS; J-James McDonald; HK$19,380,000. Eternal Record: Ch. 4yo-HK, 10-9-0-0, $7,769,720. Werk Nick Rating: A+. click for eNicks report & pedigree 5 cross. click for Free Equineline.com catalog style genealogy.
2-Young Danon (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Just A Way (Jpn)–Epic Love (Ire), by Dansili (GB). (100,000,000 yen Fl ’18 JRHAJUL). O-Danox Company Limited; B-Northern Farm; T-Takayuki Yasuda; J-Yuichi Kitamura; 7,480,000 Hong Kong dollars.
3–Money Catcher (New Zealand), 126, g, 5, Ferlax (NZ)–Warren’s Sister (NZ), by Savabeel (Australia). NZ$13,000 in ’18 NZBMAY; NZ$60,000 2 years ’19 NZBRTR). O-The Sunflower Syndicate; B-; T-Frankie Lor FC; J-Silvestre de Sousa; 3,400,000 Hong Kong dollars.
Handicap: 4HF, 3/4, 1. Handicap: 4-5, 14-1, 43-1.
Also running: Tourbillon Diamond (Aus), Russian Emperor (Ire), Geoglyph (Jpn), Jack d’Or (Jpn), Ka Ying Star (GB), Lei Papale (Jpn), Panthalassa (Jpn), Order Of Australia ( Ire), Savvy Nine (Fr).
click for HKJC.com chart, PP and cutting time. VIDEO.
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
LONGINES HONG KONG MILE-G1HK$30,000,000, Sha Tin, 12-11, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:33.41, gd.
first-CALIFORNIA SPANGLE (IRE), 126, g, 4, by Sparkling banner (Australia)
1st Dam: Pearlitas Passion (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire)
Second Dam: Paimpolaise (Ire), by Priolo
3rd Dam: Basilea (Fr), by Frere Basile (Fr)
GROUP 1 WIN 1. (€150,000 Ylg ’19 GOFORB). O-Howard Liang Yum Shing; BM Enright; T-Tony Cruz AS; J-Zac Purton; HK$17.1 million. Lifetime record: 14-9-5-0, $6,068.602. *1/2 to Wychwood Warrior (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), MSP-Ire, SP-UAE. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. click for eNicks report & pedigree 5 cross. click for Free Equineline.com catalog style genealogy.
2-Golden Sixty (Australia)126, g, 7, Medaglia d’Oro—Gaudeamus, by Distorted Humor. ($120,000 in ’17 MMGCYS; NZ$300,000 in 2017 NZBRTR). O-Stanley Chan Ka Leung; B-Asco International Pty Ltd (Qld); T-Francis Lui KW; J-Zac Purton; 6,600,000 Hong Kong dollars.
3–Rule of Index (Ire), 126, c, 4, Power (GB)–Sampers (Ire), of Exceed and Excel (Aus). (€8,000 Ylg ’19 GOFOCT). Farm stallions O-Aquis, DP Hickey et al; BN Hartery; T-Annabel Neasham; J-James McDonald; 3,000,000 Hong Kong dollars.
Handicap: NK, 1 1/4, 3 3/4. Score: 11-5, 1-2, 54-1.
Also included: Beauty Joy (Aus), More Than This (GB), Danon Scorpion (Jpn), Excellent Proposal (Aus), Waikuku (Ire), Schnell Meister (Jpn). Scratches: Salios (Jpn). click for HKJC.com chart, PP and cutting time. VIDEO.
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
LONGINES HONG KONG SPRINT-G1HK$24,000,000, Sha Tin, 12-11, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.76, gd.
first-WELLINGTON (AUS), 126, g, 6, by All Too Hard (Aus)
First Dam: Mihiri (Aus) (GSP-Aus, $123,433), by More than readiness
2nd Dam: Danoise (Aus), by Danehill
3rd beat: Solo de Lune (Ire), by Law Society
(AU$70,000 ’19 MMGCYS). O-Mr & Mrs Michael Cheng Wing On & Jeffrey Cheng Man Cheong; B-Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd, David Paradise, Steve McCann (NSW); T-Richard Gibson; J-Ryan Moore; 13,680,000 Hong Kong dollars. Eternal Record: Ch. Sprinter-HK, 19-12-1-0, $6,866,036. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. click for eNicks report & pedigree 5 cross. click for Free Equineline.com catalog style genealogy.
2-Vision for Success (Australia), 126, g, 6, Magnus (Aus)–Tarp (Aus), by Bletchley Park (Ire). (AUD $45,000 ’18 MGCFEB). O Tam Vinh Con; BG R Daws (WA); Size T-John; J-Christophe Lemaire; 5,280,000 Hong Kong dollars.
3–Sky Field (Australia), 126, g, 6, Deep Field (Aus)–Laravissate (NZ), by O’Reilly (NZ). NZ$175,000 ’18 NZBJAN). O-Kwan Shiu Man, Jessica Kwan Mun Hang & Jeffrey Kwan Chun Ming; BM Ryan (NSW); T-Caspar Fownes; J-Blake Shinn; 2,400,000 Hong Kong dollars.
Handicap: 3/4, HF, NK. Handicap: 31-10, 14-1, 33-1.
Also running: Courier Wonder (New Zealand), Meikei Yell (Jpn), Lucky Sweynesse (NZ), Cordyceps Six (Aus), Super Wealthy (Aus), Stronger (Aus), Naran Huleg (Jpn), Duke Wai (NZ) , Gendarme, Resistencia (Jpn), Lim’s Kosciuszko (Aus). click for HKJC.com chart, PP and cutting time. VIDEO.
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
HONG KONG LONGINES-G1HK$22,000,000, Sha Tin, 12-11, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:27.53, gd.
first-WIN MARILYN (JPN), 122, m, 5, by Screen Hero (Jpn)
Dam One: Cosmo Cielo (Aus), by Fusaichi Pegasus
2nd Dam: Shorwon (Aus), by Buena Shore
Dam 3: April Wonder (Aus), by Newtown Wonder (GB)
GROUP 1 WIN 1. O-Win Co., Ltd; B-Cosmo View Farm; T-Takahisa Tezuka; J-Damian Lane; HK$12,540,000. Lifetime record: MGSW & MG1SP-Jpn, 17-6-2-1, $4,725,187. *1/2 to win Malerei (Jpn) (Matsurida Gogh {Jpn}), GSW-Jpn, $701,941. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click to view eNicks report & pedigree 5 cross. click for Free Equineline.com catalog style genealogy.
2-Botany (Ire), 126, g, 4, Golden Horn (GB)–Autumn Lily, by Street Cry (Ire). O/B-Godolphin; T-Andre Fabre; J-William Buick; HK$4.840,000.
3–Vase of Glory (Jpn), 126, h, 7, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Mejiro Tsubone (Jpn), by Swept Overboard. (52,000,000 yen Ylg ’16 JRHAJUL). O-Silk Racing Company Limited; B-Lake villa farm; T-Tomohito Ozeki; J-Joao Moreira; 2,200,000 Hong Kong dollars.
Over and under: 1HF, NK, 1 1/4. Handicap: 11-2, 79-10, 27-10.
Also runs: Panfield (Chi), Stone Age (Ire), Bubble Gifts (Fr), Senor Toba (Aus), Broome (Ire), Butterfield (Brz). TNP-Mendocino (Ger). click for HKJC.com chart, PP and cutting time. VIDEO.
