California Spangle repelled the late surge of Golden Sixty to land the Longines Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Golden Sixty was widely expected to win the Group 1 heat for a third time and had beaten California Spangle on his last two starts.

However, Zac Purton gave the winner a fine ride, racing into the straight behind pace-setter Beauty Joy before seizing the initiative and going for home two furlongs out.

While Golden Sixty set off in his customary late surge, he just could not reel in California Spangle, with ex-Irish runner Laws Of Indices keeping on for a creditable third for Australian trainer Annabel Neasham.

California Spangle’s trainer Tony Cruz said: “Everything can change within a second in a race like that, but I expected him to win an international race one day.

“Golden Sixty is a fantastic horse but maybe age is catching up with him.

“Everything turned out fantastically well for us and we are lucky to have Zac in the saddle.”

Purton added: “It was pretty straightforward in the early stages as Tony told me to let him roll along, but today he kept coming back underneath me waiting for the other horses.

“I think today we have seen how versatile he can be. When he went clear I could hear Golden Sixty breathing down my neck, but when we were still in front at the hundred I thought, hang on, he’s not going to catch us.

“I won’t discredit Golden Sixty in any way, but today we evened things up and I would like to pay tribute to Tony, who was a legendary jockey and is also a legend as a trainer in the way he gets horses to peak for him.”

Coasted to victory

Romantic Warrior coasted to victory in the 10-furlong Hong Kong Cup for trainer Danny Shum and jockey James McDonald.

The four-year-old could be called the winner from some way out, grabbing the lead a furlong out and quickly putting daylight between himself and the rest of the field.

McDonald had time to ease down and salute the Sha Tin crowd as Danon The Kid chased him home in second.

French raider beaten

Win Marilyn produced a storming late run to deny French raider Botanik in the 12-furlong Vase.

Trained by Takahisa Tezuka and ridden by Damien Lane, Win Marilyn had not been beaten far in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup on her latest start and sealed her first Group 1 success in style.

Senor Toba set out to make all in the 12-furlong contest, with William Buick setting in second aboard the Andre Fabre-trained Botanik while Ryan Moore and Stone Age, who is trained by Aidan O’Brien race keenly on his heels in third.

It looked as though Buick was in prime position in the straight when Senor Toba began to back pedal, but Lane was lining up Win Marilyn for her run, sweeping round the outside of the field.

Fellow Japanese runner Glory Vase, who was bidding for a third successive win in the race, tried to go with her, but Win Marilyn was just too strong.

Botanik held on for second, with Glory Vase third and Stone Age fifth. His fellow O’Brien inmate Broome failed to figure in the finish, coming home eighth.

Tezuka said: “After the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, we got together and unanimously decided to target this race.

“The mare was at her optimum trip and Damien gave her the perfect ride.

“It’s my first winner here and I’m incredibly proud.”

Lane added: “I’m breathing a sigh of relief to break my duck here. She showed such a good turn of foot in the QEII when I thought the horse that beat us was something special.

“I’m proud to be a part of Japanese racing and getting on good horses like her.”

O’Brien will consider future plans for his runners now.

He said: “It didn’t happen today but we will go away and have a think about what they might do next year. There are a lot of races for them.”

Another French runner, Bubble Gift, finished sixth while German contender Mendocino reared as the stalls opened and lost any chance.

Moore winner

Royal Ascot could be on the agenda for Wellington following his victory in the six-furlong Sprint.

He suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of Lucky Sweynesse on his most recent start and pulled up lame, but Wellington reversed that form in the hands of Ryan Moore, substituting for regular partner Alexis Badel who was injured in a fall last month.

Sight Success led the runners into the home straight in the six-furlong contest, with Ryan Moore plotting an ideal route down the middle of the track aboard the winner.

Wellington, who is trained by Richard Gibson, responded in style coming home a cosy winner from Sight Success with last year’s race winner Sky Field third. Lucky Sweynesse struggled to get a clear run through and finished sixth.

Gibson could now look to Royal Ascot for his charge, with Cape Of Good Hope (2005) and Little Bridge (2012) having previously struck for Hong Kong handlers at the summer showpiece.

“In a five-month preparation we have put everything into getting him back and ready for today, but if he comes out of it good of course we will look at Ascot,” he said.

“You can’t call yourself a sprint champion unless you take out this big one. I’m gutted for Alexis Badel but proud of our team, who had a lot of work to do after his last run.

“We let nature take its course and were patient and also pleased that he hadn’t missed any work.

“I thought Ryan’s execution was micro-perfect.”

Moore was full of praise for his mount and delighted to get on the Sha Tin scoresheet.

He said: “He began well off a very slow pace for the first furlong and a half to two furlongs.

“I was happy and mindful that he would be able to go when he wanted to go.

“He quickened up and sealed it in a few strides – I’ve always felt he was the best sprinter in Hong Kong.

“To me he looked the part. He had excuses the last time and today he was very relaxed and fell asleep during the race, but as soon as I asked him he was straight into gear.

“I’m very fortunate to come here so often and it’s a fitting way to end the year.”