Winning Return for Aussie Bred HK Horse of the Year Golden Sixty

Tara Madgwick - Sunday November 21

Australian bred HK superstar Golden Sixty extended his unbeaten run to 15 at Sha Tin on Sunday with a stylish victory in the Group II  Bochk Private Wealth Jc Mile (1600m), his dam Gaudeamus one of a stellar book of mares covered this spring by Wootton Bassett(GB).

Advertisement

Golden Sixty returns a winner yet again! - image HKJC

The six year-old Medaglia D’Oro (USA) gelding was crowned 2021 HK Horse of the Year and certainly looked the goods when resuming from a break having not raced since winning the Group I Champions Mile back in April.

Golden Sixty showed his usual turn of foot at the finish to power clear and win by a length.

Justifying 1.1 favouritism to win, winning rider Vincent Ho was pleased with his mount’s first-up performance following three trials in preparation for his seasonal return.

“He definitely wasn’t at his best today and we’re still building him up. After this race he should be pretty close to his top form,” Ho said.

“We’ll see how he pulls up and do some recovery work on him and get him ready for the Internationals.”

Sizzling late, the six-year-old registered a slick 21.51s over the final 400m, the only horse in the contest to do so below 22s.

The victory takes Golden Sixty to a record-equalling 18 career wins in Hong Kong, alongside only Beauty Generation and Silent Witness, while his sequence of 15 successive victories has him just two shy of Silent Witness’ record-setting 17 in a row.



“I must say we were confident in this race but I’m happy to see him win again. This horse has got a very good fighting heart and once he relaxes he has a very good turn of foot,” Francis Lui said.

Headed towards the Group I HK International Mile, Golden Sixty capped a Group II  running double for Lui who earlier landed the BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) with Lucky Patch.

Golden Sixty as a yearling.

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 the best of four 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.

Element Hill sold a Capitalist filly from Gaudeamus at Magic Millions this year to All Winners Thoroughbreds for $425,000.

Gaudeamus missed last year, but has been covered by Coolmore’s proven Group I sire Wootton Bassett (GB) this spring.


 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Kiwi Raider Pier Upbeat Ahead of Epsom
Co-trainer and part-owner Darryn Weatherley is taking a glass half full approach ahead of Saturday’s Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) after he came up with an awkward wide gate for Pier.
NZ Derby Hero Willydoit Primed for Epsom
Last season’s New Zealand Derby hero Willydoit will step back into the spotlight on Saturday when he contests the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick for trainer Ciaron Maher, with jockey Tommy Berry bullish the horse is ready to make his mark over the famous mile.
Magic Trials at Caulfield Heath
Early season two-year-olds will step out this Thursday, 2 October, at the Caulfield Spring Trials presented by Magic Millions, with 800m 2YO heats following the opening trial for Group performers at 7:30am on the Caulfield Heath.
Autumn Glow Epsom Challenge - Just How Big Is This Task?
With the unbeaten Autumn Glow set to run as the first odds-on favourite this century in the Epsom Handicap on Saturday we thought we’d run some data to see how big this mountain is that she’s attempting to climb, and turns out, it’s pretty big.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Caulfield
Three barrier trials at Caulfield on Thursday morning produced heat winners for first season sires Wild Ruler and Profiteer with the quickest winner being Free Flying, the half-sister by Snitzel to brilliant Group winning mare Learning to Fly.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 1
Here is the full list of 49 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Swettenham Stud Delighted with Lofty Strike Foals
Swettenham Stud are delighted with the growing buzz of excitement surrounding the first foals for young gun sire Lofty Strike.
Generation Foals Built for Speed
Victorian farm Lovatsville offer a diverse stallion roster for this spring geared to satisfy a wide spectrum of breeder ambitions and if explosive Aussie speed is your thing then Snitzel stallion Generation will fit the bill.
Melody Belle Daughter Set for Long Awaited Debut
It will be a full-circle moment for Te Akau Racing at The Valley on Friday night when Lyrics ‘N’ Song, a daughter of their former multiple Group One winner Melody Belle, makes her debut.
Blueblood Fillies From $3million Mares
Tom Magnier has been notable for his purchase of elite race fillies and broodmares in recent years to enhance the stellar Coolmore broodmare band and two of his $3million plus mare purchases have produced stunning fillies this spring.