Aussie bred Golden Sixty made a sparkling return to racing at Sha Tin on Sunday racking up the 22nd victory of his decorated 25-start career and third straight HK$5 million Group II BOCHK Private Health Jockey Club Mile (1600m) success.
It was hard fought victory. Neck and neck over the concluding stages with California Spangle, jockey Vincent Ho asked Golden Sixty to lift and he responded accordingly, overhauling his brave, youthful adversary by a neck as 1/1 second favourite in 1m 34.02s.
Enhancing the merit of his win, Golden Sixty clocked 21.32s for his final 400m after California Spangle set a crawling tempo throughout under jockey Zac Purton.
“I knew Golden Sixty would have the heart to run him down but he’s only 80 percent fit, so the last bit is his mental toughness. Definitely all credit to him and the team – we’re looking forward to December now.
“It was crawling at first and the turn I knew, around the 600 (metre mark), that Zac (Purton) will pick up the pace for sure, so I was just keeping an eye on what he was doing and I had to come out and make my move earlier,” Ho said.
Tony Cruz was full of praise for Irish bred Starspangledbanner gelding California Spangle who – while still only a four-year-old – has now registered two second placings to the six-time Group 1-winning Golden Sixty.
“I believe this horse still can improve. He’s fit and sound and we’ll fight another day,” Cruz said.
Enhancing his all-time earnings to HK$116,250,600 (a Hong Kong record), Golden Sixty will be now plotted towards winning a third successive HK$30 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) at next month’s 2022 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races on Sunday, 11 December.
“Same like before, he has a very good fighting heart. When he came close to the frontrunner, he really wanted to pass him.
“Zac is a good jockey and he knows how to manage the pace, but I think Vincent also knows Golden Sixty very well, he knows how to ride this horse,” trainer Francis Lui said.
By champion sire Medaglia D’Oro (USA), Golden Sixty was a $300,000 NZB Ready to Run Sale purchase for his trainer from the Riversley Park draft and was a super successful pinhook having been sourced from the Element Hill draft at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale for $120,000.
Golden Sixty is a half-brother to stakes-placed Rainbow Connection and Igitur being the best of six winners from US bred Irish Group III winner Gaudeamus (USA), a Distorted Humor mare from the family of Group I stars Bosra Sham and Hector Protector.
Gaudeamus has a yearling filly by Vancouver and was covered last spring by Wootton Bassett (GB).
