Beaten once in 15 starts, the freakish Golden Sixty was in a class of his own in the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin on Sunday.
A clone of his sire Medaglia d’Oro (USA), Golden Sixty still had plenty to do in the straight but once Vincent Ho balanced him up the race was all over.
The Francis Lui-trained gelding was throttled down to defeat the Not A Single Doubt gelding Southern Legend by two lengths with Japan’s defending champion Admire Mars (Daiwa Major) a short-head back in third.
“He is amazing isn’t he,” Ho said.
“He had a good preparation and was at his best today. I’m really grateful to be on him.
“I was quite far back but I just let him slide from the 600m and he was almost equal with them in a stride or two.”
A $120,000 pinkook by Riversley Park/Enigma Farm out of the Element Hill draft at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Golden Sixty was purchased by his trainer for $300,000 out of the Riversley Park consignment at the 2017 NZB Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs.
He is the best of five winners from seven to race out of the imported Distorted Humor (USA) mare Gaudeamus (USA) who purchased by Josh Hutchins Bloodstock for $160,000, on behalf of Element Hill, out of the Wood Nook Farm draft at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. She was carrying the Hong Kong Mile hero at the time.
