13 December 2020

Golden Sixty strikes again at Sha Tin

13 December 2020

Golden Sixty registered an 11th straight victory in the Longines Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin.

Francis Lui’s stable star was unsurprisingly all the rage to extended his winning streak in the hands of regular partner Vincent Ho.

The five-year-old did not enjoy the perfect trip, as he was stuck wide for much of the race, but Golden Sixty proved his class with an ultimately emphatic success.

The five-year-old was nearer last than first rounding the home turn, but soon found top gear to reel in the leaders before powering two lengths clear with relative ease – his 14th victory from 15 career starts overall.

Southern Legend beat Admire Mars to the runner-up spot, with Aidan O’Brien’s Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Order Of Australia ultimately well beaten in sixth and the Ken Condon-trained Romanised last of the 10 runners.

Lui said: “I can have a good sleep tonight! I’m very happy – at the moment, I don’t know what to say, (my heart) is still pumping. As a jockey, as a trainer, as an owner, you’re dreaming of this.

“I was worried about the horses from Japan and Ireland but now, after this race, he has shown me that he’s a champion.

When I hit the top of the straight, I knew

Ho added: “When I hit the top of the straight, I knew. I was just cruising and I didn’t think anyone could beat him in that sort of sprint.

“He’s a horse that really wants to compete, he’s the best horse in Hong Kong at the moment. Today is all about him.”

Of Order Of Australia, O’Brien told Sky Sports Racing: “We were very happy with his run. He had a completely different draw to what he had in America – he was drawn in rather than out.

“He was caught behind the pace a little bit. He’s a little bit lazy in the middle of his races and when you ask him to go you need to be able to keep going. Today the gaps didn’t come for him and he just went down a gear.

Aidan O'Brien feels there is more to come from Order Of Australia (PA Wire)

“He ran very well and we think he’s going to be a lovely miler next year. He could run in something like the Queen Anne in Royal Ascot, and maybe have a run before it.”

Ryan Moore landed the Hong Kong Sprint aboard Takayuki Yasuda’s Danon Smash.

The Japanese challenger hit the front inside the final furlong and held the challenge of unconsidered outsider Jolly Banner at bay by half a length, with Rattan not far behind in third.

Moore said: “We got lucky – he stepped very well and we managed to slot into a lovely spot, I was always happy and when the pace steadied around the bend, I was able to just move out and keep moving forward and he got there in plenty of time.

“He was very tough and very honest – he was a pleasure to ride and he’d shown very good form at times in Japan’s best sprints and at seven furlongs as well he’s won some of the best races at Group Two level and he deserved to win his Group One.

“I’m delighted and just thankful for being asked to ride him and I also need to thank the owners Danox and Mr Yasuda certainly knows how to prepare a sprinter for a Hong Kong Sprint.”

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