Potager travelled well throughout the 2,000 metres behind a brisk pace set by Jack d’Or. In the straight, last year’s winner, Lei Papale, made her effort and held a brief lead inside the furlong mark before giving way to Potager’s challenge.

Potager won by a neck from Lei Papale with another long shot, Arrivo, arriving just in time to finish a nose farther back in third.

Potager’s time was just a second off the race record set by Suave Richard in 2018.

Efforia’s rider, Takeshi Yokoyama had no excuse for the lacklustre run. “We made an early move but he just didn’t have anything to give at the straight. He was a bit heavy and wasn’t as sharp in his movement during training last week which may have affected his performance today.”

It was Efforia’s second defeat, the last when a close second in the 2021 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) to recent Dubai Sheema Classic Shahryar. His six wins included three at the Grade 1 level with two against older horses to finish 2021.

Potager’s pedigree is from the top drawer - bred by Northern Farm, the five-year-old is by the late Deep Impact and out of a US champion older mare, Ginger Punch.

Her 12 wins included six at the Grade 1 level including the 2007 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Monmouth Park and she was the Eclipse Award champion older female for 2007.

Northern Farm purchased the mare for $1.6 million at the 2009 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Sale from owner Adena Springs.

Golden Sixty is back in business

GOLDEN Sixty, the world’s joint-highest rated miler in 2021, got back on the winning trail and became the first horse in Hong Kong to register 20 wins with and impressive victory in the Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Having lost his unbeaten record when third in the Group 1 Hong Kong Gold Cup and second in the Group 1 Stewards’ Cup earlier this year, the six-year-old had a bit to prove and duly delivered, brushing aside his 11 rivals to score by an eased-down two lengths.

He was settled closer than usual under Vincent Ho before breezing past the former Aidan O’Brien-trained Russian Emperor and Savvy Nine in the home straight.

Golden Sixty become only the second horse in Hong Kong racing history behind Beauty Generation to earn over HK$100 million in stakes.

After the race trainer Francis Lui said: “The last two runs, he was just too far behind and Vincent had to come to the outside. This time, we drew barrier one – we had no choice,” Lui said.

“He can jump fast and you can put him into any position and you have to relax him.”

Golden Sixty now heads for the Champions Mile with Ho sounding a warning ahead of Champions Day later this month on Sunday, April 24th.

“He’s not at his top yet, because he had some time off, I would say he was only 70 to 80% today, although he had a great turn of foot, but he still has something to improve,” Ho said.