Three big races highlight one of Hong Kong's most important days Jan. 24 but the biggest name in any of them is Golden Sixty, the heavy favorite to land his 12th straight win and second straight group 1 title while facing seven rivals in the Stewards' Cup (G1).
Golden Sixty, a 5-year-old Medaglia d'Oro gelding, swept last season's 4-Year-Old Classic Series, finishing with a victory in the BMW Hong Kong Derby. After three warm-up wins this season, he took on group 1 competition for the first time Dec. 13 in the Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1) and dominated a field that included top international talent.
Trainer Francis Lui gave Golden Sixty a short rest after the December triumph—his first at the group 1 level—and put him through a pleasing piece of work under race rider Vincent Ho Jan. 21.
"He was a bit keen when he started back but after that he had a grass gallop, (and) he was fine, and this morning he was good again," Lui said. "I asked Vincent to give him an easy gallop, and he just wanted to go. Now he's more and more relaxed in races."
In the 1,600-meter (about 1 mile) Stewards' Cup, Golden Sixty will face a lineup similar to the one he handled in December, minus a pair of international raiders. Returning are Southern Legend, second by two lengths last month, Waikuku (fourth), Mighty Giant (seventh), and Ka Ying Star (eighth). Rise High, More Than This, and Champion's Way join the fray.
Rise High returns from a 13-month injury absence. Trainer Caspar Fownes said the horse is back in form but acknowledged the magnitude of the task.
"Obviously, you're up against a champion, a superstar, in Golden Sixty," Fownes said as he gave Rise High final preparations. "But as long as we can just run a nice race first-up, then we'll head to the Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1) with him...When you're off the scene for a long time, there's nothing like race fitness."
In the Centenary Sprint Cup (G1) at 1,200 meters (about 6 furlongs), Hot King Prawn looks to bounce back from his seventh-place finish as the favorite in December's Longines Hong Kong Sprint (G1). The 6-year-old Denman gelding has been a consistent force in the sprint ranks for the past two seasons but still seeks his first Hong Kong group 1 victory. Leading rider Joao Moreira has the mount.
Danon Smash returned to Japan after winning December's Sprint but Jolly Banner and Wishful Thinker, long shots who finished second and fourth, are back. So, too, is Fat Turtle, who reported fifth at triple-digit odds.
Classique Legend, a hot prospect coming into the Longines Sprint, struggled home 11th as second-favorite and is not entered for the Centenary Sprint Cup.
While the group 1 races are watched by potential international raiders and offer prospects for Dubai and even Europe, the Hong Kong Classic Mile may be the day's biggest event for the locals as the first leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series. The Derby still is the race most local owners covet, and the Mile starts the progression that builds toward that race.
The 14 lined up for this year's renewal have lots of sorting out yet to accomplish. The highest-rated of the bunch is Sky Darci, a New Zealand-bred gelding by Darci Brahma. He has come on like a freight train this season for trainer Caspar Fownes and leading Hong Kong jockey Joao Moreira, winning his first three starts of the campaign before finishing second behind 5-year-old Champion's Way in a group 3 last time out.
"Sky Darci has the rating to say he's going to be very hard to beat," Fownes said. "He's proven at the distance, he's got the class, he's got everything to say he's going to run a big race, and it will come down to the draw."
Fownes also fields Enrich Delight, a Medaglia d'Oro gelding who won his first start of the season. He was withdrawn, lame, from his scheduled second race but was cleared from the vet's list and finished third Jan. 10 in his most recent start. Christophe Soumillon rides Enrich Delight and commented, "It's a very open field. I think he's got a good chance, but I'm scared of nobody with my horse."
Excellent Proposal, a John Size charge, saw a three-race win streak halted with a dismal performance in his most recent effort. Lucky Patch and Celestial Power also have had success in limited opportunities.
Before the races, two-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year Beauty Generation officially will be sent off to retirement with ceremonies in the plush Sha Tin parade ring. Beauty Generation called it a career after a fifth-place finish in the Longines Hong Kong Mile. Sadly, it will be a virtual private farewell as ongoing COVID-19 pandemic precautions continue to prevent fans' attendance at the races.
