Golden Sixty, Mogul Triumph in Hong Kong

Golden Sixty, living up to his billing as a star of the future, landed his biggest prize yet for the home team in the Longines Hong Kong International Races Dec. 13, and Mogul bounced back from a Breeders' Cup defeat to score an impressive win for Ireland.

Despite the problems posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the day's four group 1 races proved truly international as Japanese runners also scored twice.

Golden Sixty, a 5-year-old gelding by Medaglia d'Oro , entered the Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1) as a winner of 10 consecutive races, including the prestigious BMW Hong Kong Derby. He went to the post as the favorite even though the race was his first in group 1 company.

With Vincent Ho in the irons, Golden Sixty waited patiently near the back of the 10-horse field, swept around the leaders turning into the stretch, and blew by with ease, drawing off to win by two lengths over fellow Hong Kong denizen Southern Legend. Last year's winner, Admire Mars, finished third after contesting the lead.

Waikuku finished fourth, trailed by two-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year Beauty Generation in fifth and FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T) winner Order of Australia in sixth.

"He's amazing, isn't he?" Ho said as he dismounted in the winner's enclosure, void of fans due to the pandemic restrictions. "When I hit the top of the straight, I knew. I was just cruising, and I didn't think anyone could beat him in that sort of sprint."

Trainer Francis Lui, who landed his first HKIR victory, added, "I can have a good night's sleep tonight! I was worried about the horses from Japan and Ireland, but now, after this race, he has shown me that he is a champion."

Golden Sixty, in fact, is the clear frontrunner for Horse of the Year midway through the 2020-21 season, and having carried all before him at home, Lui said 2021 might see him travel.

"Not this season. Because of the virus, we'll keep him in Hong Kong this season," the trainer said.

While the future is bright for Golden Sixty, the Mile proved the end of the road for 8-year-old Beauty Generation. His connections announced his immediate retirement.

"It's a bittersweet day," said Zac Purton, who rode the Kwok family runner 28 times, including his last race. "It's a sad end. He's been the best horse for me in my career. I'm certainly going to miss him. He was brave again today, and wherever he may go in the world, I'm sure I'll go and visit him in his paddock one day."

While Order of Australia's fading finish in the Mile was a disappointment for trainer Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore "lads," the dominating victory by 3-year-old Mogul in the Longines Hong Kong Vase (G1) was a promise of good things in the coming season.

With Ryan Moore in the irons, the Galileo colt let local favorite Exultant make all the early going in the 2,400-meter (about 1 1/2-mile) Vase. The pace wasn't exceptionally quick but proved good enough for Mogul, who easily ran by Exultant at midstretch and scooted home by three lengths. Exultant held second, with Columbus County third.

Mogul rose to the top levels among Coolmore's globe-trotting string with a victory Sept. 13 in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (G1) at ParisLongchamp. His passport franked by that effort over some accomplished rivals, he next ventured to Keeneland for the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T), where he could only finish fifth.

Moore, who won for the sixth time in HKIR competition, said Mogul was so good, he actually took the Vase on his own terms.

"In reality, I was in front sooner than would have been ideal today," Moore said. "But he took me there nicely."

O'Brien, who also won the Vase with Highland Reel in 2015 and 2017, did not make the trip because of the pandemic-related travel issues.

Assistant John Manton acknowledged Mogul "took a few runs at the start of the year and came on from it. He ran well in the Breeders' Cup, but he was a small bit unlucky as well. Hopefully, we'll be back here again next year with him and we can do it again."

Moore, noting the difficulty of travel and the absence of fans in the Sha Tin grandstand, added, "The year for everyone has been a mess. But we're very thankful to everyone at the Hong Kong Jockey Club for getting me over. It's been a big effort, and I can't really stress enough the time they've put in.

"We're very thankful to get us over here."

Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said the success of the day was important for racing.

"It is important to have these global events. We are very proud that as a team, we pulled this off," he said. "There were some anxious moments and discussions about 'How can we do this?' But in the end, we focused on the result, and the results speak for themselves.

"I want to give special credit to our overseas friends because it's about trust to send your people—to send your horses—on such a journey."