The Group III Chinese Club Challenge Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin on New Year’s Day was won in commanding style by exciting gelding Golden Sixty, an Aussie bred son of Darley’s champion sire Medaglia D’Oro (USA), whose last crop of Southern Hemisphere bred yearlings will be a highlight at MM 2020.
Golden Sixty dominated the New Year’s Day feature to cement his status as a chief protagonist for this season’s three-race Four-Year-old Classic Series. The first test, the Hong Kong Classic Mile, is less than four weeks away.
“The mile will definitely be in his scope, he’s ready,” jockey Vincent Ho said after his mount drew two lengths clear of seven smart rivals to take the spoils in a time of 1m 20.70s.
“He travelled beautifully, he wasn’t pulling – he was genuine. When I pulled him out he showed a great turn-of-foot and won easily. He tries extremely hard, it’s been a case of getting his mind right; he’s still a bit hot, a bit toey, but he’s more relaxed in his races now.”
Golden Sixty not only took his career haul to seven wins from eight starts – all at 1200m and 1400m – but also became the first horse in Hong Kong to win four races this term.
Trainer Francis Lui has two of the top candidates for Hong Kong Classic Mile glory with Golden Sixty’s stablemate More Than This unbeaten in three runs this campaign.
“Both horses will go to the Classic Mile and More Than this will also go to the Hong Kong Derby,” Lui confirmed. “I have no preference for one over the other; I think they can both go to the Classic Mile without any problem.”
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. Click here to see Element Hill yearlings for MM 2020.
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.
Gaudeamus has a filly foal by Capitalist and was covered last year by Trapeze Artist.
Golden Sixty is the 138th stakes-winner worldwide for Medaglia D’Oro, who has 20 entries for Magic Millions 2020, click here to see them.
Rising HK Star for Medaglia D’Oro
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Race Result - The Chinese Club Challenge Cup Gr3 1400m
Sha Tin Track: Good Time: 1:20.70
Tnr: K W Lui Rdr: C Y Ho 52.5
Tnr: F C Lor Rdr: A Badel 53
Tnr: J J Size Rdr: J Moreira 54.5
Tnr: J Moore Rdr: S De Sousa 55
Tnr: A S Cruz Rdr: K Teetan 58.5
Tnr: J Moore Rdr: Grant Van Niekerk 54.5
Tnr: C S Shum Rdr: Z Purton 60.5
Tnr: A T Millard Rdr: M F Poon 56
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