CHAMPIONS MILE (GROUP 1)

HONG Kong’s current racing sensation and the world’s highest rated active racehorse Beauty Generation cruised his way to victory in the Group 1 FWD Champions Mile at Sha Tin last Sunday.

Jockey Zac Purton barely moved a muscle on the six-year-old star who led throughout in an eased-down length-and-a-half win.

It was a ninth straight win for this remarkable racehorse and an eighth victory this season.

He also claimed Viva Pataca’s prize money earnings record (in Hong Kong) with this cheque taking his tally to HK$84,770,000 – about HK$1.5 million above the tally garnered by Viva Pataca who was also trained by Moore and whose final win came at this meeting, in the QEII Cup, in 2010.

Beauty Generation last year became just the fourth horse to complete the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile and Champions Mile double in the same season – and those to precede him were widely acclaimed as champion performers of their time: Maurice (2015/16), Able Friend (2014/15) and Good Ba Ba (2007/08).

Now he stands alone as the only horse to do it twice as he becomes invincible in Hong Kong where his sustained winning run has propelled him to such a high international rating (127).

“It’s what we expected him to do today,” said Purton, “he was a little bit fitter.

“When he’s out in front like that mid race and there’s nothing around pushing him, he just floats a little bit so my job was to try to keep him rolling and let him do the rest.

“I’d like to think so,” Purton said when asked whether the horse would have more in reserve for a next run, “John wanted me to give him a bit of a push today but he did his job and that’s all you can do.”

Trainer Moore acknowledged the horse’s momentous achievements and did not rule out the possibility of heading to Japan for the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen on June 2nd.

“Definitely, it’s an amazing achievement for the stable and all the staff to be able to keep him up and sustain his fitness level to be able to win these races in such a facile fashion. And thanks to Hong Kong that we’ve had a champion in our midst and we’ve still got a champion miler and the whole world knows we’ve got one hell of a miler over here.

“I’d like to go to Japan but of course it is the owner’s call. Patrick (Kwok) and his father (Simon) will make the decision in time.”

Moore said the owners have “set other goals” but made it clear he would be keen to have Beauty Generation prove himself beyond his home shores.

“The owners would like to see him break Silent Witness’ record of 17 straight wins.

“To have him in the yard is any trainer’s dream but if we go to Japan to take on the Japanese armada that will be the real telling factor in his career,” he added.

Purton has now ridden 21 Group 1 winners in Hong Kong, one shy of Gerald Mosse’s record.

Record-breaker Win Bright shines for Japan

QEII CUP (GROUP 1)

WIN Bright became another big winner for Japan when the grey powered home in the HK$24 million FWD QEII Cup and lowering the 10-furlong track record at Sha Tin.

The son of Stay Gold became the first horse to dip below 1m 59.00s, stopping the clock at 1m 58.81s as he earned a first Group 1 win. The five-year-old became the latest Japanese winner, following Eishin Preston (2002 & 2003), Rulership (2012) and Neorealism (2017).

“On Wednesday morning Win Bright galloped and clocked a fast time, so it was not unexpected that he could run a fast time today,” jockey Masami Matsuoka said of the 47/1 outsider.

Masami Matsuoka ends a 10-year Group 1 drought on Win Bright winning the HK$24 million FWD QEII Cup. Photo HKJC

DECADE-LONG DROUGHT

The rider had not won a Group 1 since Meiner Kitz landed the Tenno Sho (Spring) 10 years ago. But he cruised coolly along the rail in mid-pack, switching out in the straight and pushing his mount to victory.

“This is the very best day!” he said.

“He didn’t have good gate speed this time but we found a good spot and the horse travelled nicely and that helped him run very well to the finish.”

Trainer Yoshihiro Hatakeyama was also competing in Hong Kong for the first time.

“He had won at Group 2 and Group 3 level but had always been beaten in Group 1 races, but his winning form from his two starts this season made me think that he was developing and improving,” he said.

“I was quite sure that he would be competitive at the top level.”

“I hope he will gain more power and develop and we would love to come back in December for the Hong Kong Cup.”

Win Bright raced past last year’s winner Pakistan Star with 70 metres to race and had momentum enough to hold Hong Kong’s star stayer Exultant by three-quarters of a length.

The Tony Cruz-trained gelding edged third-placed Lys Gracieux and Oisin Murphy by a short-head.

Beat The Clock’s not for beating as he bags a second Group 1

BEAT The Clock led home a Hong Kong one-two-three in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize over six furlongs at Sha Tin.

The John Size-trained sprinter, third last year and never outside the first three in 21 career starts, beat fellow locals Rattan and Little Giant in a Hong Kong trifecta. The world’s highest-rated sprinter Australian visitor Santa Ana Lane raced wide of the bend and had too much to do late on, finishing in fourth place.

It was a first Chairman’s Sprint Prize win for jockey Joao Moreira and a second straight for Size who not only won last year’s edition with Ivictory but saddled the first three home then.

The race unfolded perfectly for Beat The Clock, whose task was aided by Mr Stunning’s withdrawal and Santa Ana Lane’s inability to stay in touch with the leaders in the early stages.

“I was extremely happy,” Moreira said, “I would say the race actually went perfect for him. Rattan wasn’t giving up, he was dashing home and made it very hard but fortunately we have a very brave horse. He tries his best and once again he’s done it.”

It was Beat The Clock’s eighth win and his second at Group 1 level, having taken the Centenary Sprint Cup in January.

WILLING

Trainer Size said: “He is a joy to take to the races, that’s for sure, because he’s so consistent and such a willing participant. He’s come strong at five years of age and it should be his best season and he’s done that, he’s delivered with his two Group 1s.”

However, he is unlikely to run again this season according to the trainer but rather be prepared for next season and a likely crack at December glory.

The Richard Gibson-trained Rattan, who’d beaten Beat The Clock in the lead-up Group 2 Sprint Cup, was 5lbs worse off at the weights on this occasion and brave while beaten a half-length into second place.

His rider Chad Schofield said: “We were in front which was a first for him but he travelled sweetly and controlled the race. He showed an extremely good turn-of-foot but a better horse won on the day.”

Santa Ana Lane, who went off favourite, ran the quickest last 800 metres and last 400 metres of the race but had too much to do and finished two and a quarter lengths from the winner.

“He was probably off his game a little bit today so we’ll get home and regroup,” said Santa Ana Lane’s trainer Anthony Freedman before noting the race didn’t unfold well for him, “They didn’t go a really good gallop, which didn’t suit us. He was a little disappointing.”