Golden Sixty seeks history

HONG KONG • All eyes will be on Golden Sixty at Sha Tin tomorrow, when the prestigious four-event HK$100 million (S$17.5 million) Longines Hong Kong International Races excite the racing world.

A successive victory in the HK$26 million Longines Hong Kong Mile over 1,600m will put the Stanley Chan-owned superstar's name in the annals of Hong Kong racing.

It will extend the reigning Horse of the Year's win tally to 19 - a new local record. He is currently on a landmark 18 victories with Silent Witness and Beauty Generation.

His trainer, Francis Lui, describes the quirky-but-incredibly talented Australian-bred as the horse of a lifetime.

"In all of a lifetime, I think you can't find this kind of horse. I'm lucky and Hong Kong is lucky to have him, too," he said.

Luck is something Lui is hoping for tomorrow. It will be Golden Sixty's toughest test, but the chance to create history is well within his grasp.

The brown six-year-old is fit and has drawn well in Gate 2 in the field of 11.

"He is all ready and we're hoping that luck will come to my team and my owner - and to me, too," said Lui. "Barrier two is okay. We'll just relax him and wait for the straight, and then we can just let him go.

"We are very happy with him. He came out of that first run (last month) very well. In that race, the pace was very slow over the first 800m. That gave the other horses a little trouble, but Golden Sixty, he just has a very good turn of foot now. He knows where the finish is."

His regular rider, Vincent Ho, will be astride.

Standing in Golden Sixty's way is the might of Japan, a quartet spearheaded by Danon Kingly, this year's Group 1 Yasuda Kinen winner over 1,600m .

Although accustomed to major-race success, trainer Kiyoshi Hagiwara and jockey Yuga Kawada have great respect for the defending champion.

But Hagiwara, who successfully campaigned Normcore in last year's Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Cup over 2,000m, has great confidence in Danon Kingly.

"I've had the pleasure of watching Golden Sixty's races and he's exceptionally strong," said Hagiwara. "Regarding Danon Kingly, the horse is in good condition and you would like him to show his best on the day. With that, hope he'll be at the finish."

Pointing to Danon Kingly's superior record on good or firm ground - six wins and four placings from 13 starts - Hagiwara is encouraged by Hong Kong's dry weather and the likelihood of a good track.

"In regard to Danon Kingly and Hong Kong, I thought the horse would be suited to good ground and, having the experience and seen the ground in Hong Kong (previously), I thought the horse was a good match for here."

Japan's other main force is Salios, a two-time runner-up to the country's eighth Triple Crown winner, Contrail.

Since debuting in June 2019, Salios has had 10 starts and boasts a Group 1 win in the 2019 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes over 1,600m.

His trainer, Noriyuki Hori, is no stranger to victory in the Hong Kong International Races (HKIR).

From nine runners since 2008 - including his trailblazing Jaguar Mail - Hori has enjoyed great success with three wins for a 33 per cent strike rate.

In 2016, he made history by becoming the only international trainer to win two HKIR races in the same meeting.

Satono Crown claimed the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase over 2,400m, before Maurice demolished an all-star cast in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup over 2,000m.

Gearing up to lead the home team's defence in the main showpiece - the HK$30 million Hong Kong Cup - is Panfield.

He will break from Gate 1 against 11 rivals from Japan, Britain, Ireland and Hong Kong, as he looks to bounce back from an unexpected blip last month.

Trainer Tony Millard walked away pleased after the barrier draw ceremony.

"It's a lovely draw. It gives you options and we're certainly very happy with it. There are a lot worse draws than that, I couldn't be happier," he said.

A Group 1 hat-trick winner in his native Chile, Panfield added to his burgeoning record with victory last season in Hong Kong's Group 1 Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup over 2,400m.

HKJC