HONG Kong star Golden Sixty made a sparkling return to racing at Sha Tin last Sunday, with the 22nd victory of his career and a third win in a row in the HK$5 million Group 2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile

The champion showed he had lost none of his turn of foot even as a seven-year-old. His main danger California Spangle kicked for home early in the straight, and as jockey Vincent Ho asked Golden Sixty to quicken, he responded well, gradually overhauling the younger horse by a neck as 21/20 second favourite.

Golden Sixty clocked an impressive 21.32s for his final two furlongs after California Spangle set a slow tempo under jockey Zac Purton.

“I knew Golden Sixty would have the heart to run him down but he’s only 80% fit, so the last bit is his mental toughness. Definitely all credit to him and the team – we’re looking forward to December now.

“It was crawling at first and at the turn I knew, around the 600 (metre mark), that Zac will pick up the pace for sure, so I was just keeping an eye on what he was doing and I had to come out and make my move earlier,” Ho said to reporters afterwards.

Tony Cruz was also happy with California Spangle who – while still only a four-year-old – has now registered two second placings to the six-time Group 1-winning Golden Sixty.

“I believe this horse still can improve and we’ll fight another day,” Cruz said.

With earnings of HK$116,250,600 (a Hong Kong record), Golden Sixty is aiming towards winning a third successive Group 1 Hong Kong Mile at next month’s Hong Kong International Races on Sunday, December 11th.

“Zac is a good jockey and he knows how to manage the pace, but I think Vincent also knows Golden Sixty very well, he knows how to ride this horse,” trainer Francis Lui said.

“We are all happy to see him come back and win a race. Golden Sixty has brought us a lot of fun. Honestly, he is an easy horse to train so I think after this race his condition will improve,” Lui added.

Serifos sweeps by in Mile Championship

Mile Championship (Group 1)

THE three-year-old Serifos landed his first Group 1 victory in the Mile Championship last weekend at Hanshin.

Sired by Daiwa Major, who won the race in 2006 and 2007, Serifos made the breakthrough under Damian Lane, who is riding in Japan under a short-term license, also registered his fourth Group 1 victory and first since the 2019 Arima Kinen with Lys Gracieux.

Breaking from stall number 10, Serifos travelled well towards the rear and three wide in the backstretch.

In the straight, he came with a long wide run on the outside of the field and with the fastest closing sectional in the 17-horse field, to grab the lead 50 metres out and win going away by a length and a quarter. “I’m very happy, the horse was super today. He’s very consistent and I knew he would improve after watching his videos. I wanted to show how competitive he is. The pace was good and he was a bit keen early but I was always confident,” commented Damian Lane after the race.

Danon The Kid squeezed through horses before being overtaken by the winner in the final strides for the runner-up spot.

Second favourite Sodashi raced around fifth early but could not match the top two finishers’ late speed, while holding off the fast-closing rivals by a nose for third place.

Race favourite Schnell Meister struggled briefly for room early in the straight but dug in the last half furlong to finish fifth.