New Zealand-bred megastar Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock) cost just $60,000 at the Select Sale at Karaka, but he is now the highest prize-money earner in the history of Hong Kong racing.
His victory in Sunday's HK$18 million Group 1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin carried him past Viva Pataca (Marju) with earnings of HK$86.96 million. That's the equivalent of NZ$16.64 million, which is 277 times his purchase price.
It was a ninth consecutive win for the champion galloper, and it completed a perfect eight-from-eight season. Overall, Beauty Generation is now the winner of 17 of his 30 starts.
On Sunday he was dominant again, leading every step of the way and outclassing his opposition by a length and a half. Jockey Zac Purton sat almost motionless in the saddle, never asking his mount for 100% effort. Beauty Generation clocked 1:33.63 for the 1600 metres.
"I'm over the moon about the whole thing," trainer John Moore said. "We've got a great horse on our hands.
"Today was facile again, and he lived up to expectations.
"Now we need to sit down with the owners and see if they want to go to a different country and prove him on different ground."
Owned by Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen, Beauty Generation is now a seven-time Group 1 winner, having previously won the Hong Kong Mile (1600m) twice, last year's Champions Mile, the Stewards' Cup (1600m) and two editions of the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m).
Beauty Generation was bred by Nearco Stud and was raised and sold by Highden Park.
"Beauty Generation began life at Highden Park," Libby and Sam Bleakley's farm tweeted. "The mating was planned by Adrian Clark, he was born, raised and educated on the farm for Nearco Stud. We then prepared him for the Karaka yearling sales. We never guessed he would be the best and NZ's highest ever earner in Hong Kong!"
| Vendor | Highden Park |
| Purchaser | Hermes Syndications (Waikato) |
| Breeding | Road to Rock – Stylish Bel |
| Sale | Lot 835, 2014 Select Sale, $60,000 |
| Bred by | Nearco Stud Ltd |
