Golden Sixty Victorious Against All Odds in HK Cup Prep

The fans got the race they wanted to see in the BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (G2) Nov. 20 at Sha Tin Racecourse, where Hong Kong superstar Golden Sixty nailed archrival California Spangle in the final strides in a race it seemed he had no business winning.

The Mile was one of three stakes on the program designed to set up the local horses for the Dec. 11 Longines Hong Kong International Races. Golden Sixty and Romantic Warrior in the BOCHK Jockey Club Cup were popular winners, while Lucky Sweynesse pulled off a mild upset in the BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (G2).

The marquee matchup, though, was Golden Sixty vs. California Spangle, the reigning, two-time Hong Kong champion and two-time winner of both this prep and the big December race against his up-and-coming younger rival.

Everything seemed stacked against Golden Sixty. He had not raced since defeating California Spangle by two lengths in the FWD Champions Mile (G1) April 24 at equal weights. California Spangle already had two wins on the 2022-23 season and, while the Champions Mile was contested at equal weights, the Jockey Club Mile found Golden Sixty spotting his rival five pounds.

Then, to compound matters, Hong Kong's leading jockey, Zac Purton, sent California Spangle right to the lead and slowed things down to a pace that might have embarrassed cheap platers, hoping to preserve enough gas to survive Golden Sixty's late bid.

None of it mattered as Vincent Ho revved up the Golden Sixty engine at the top of the lane and got to the front with perfect timing to win by a neck. It was 2 3/4 lengths to Waikuku in third.

"I knew Golden Sixty would have the heart to run him down, but he's only 80-percent fit, so the last bit is his mental toughness," Ho said. "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 (meter 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 added.

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

It was Golden Sixty's 22nd win from 25 Hong Kong starts and sets the 7-year-old Medaglia d'Oro   gelding up for a shot at a third straight win in the Longines Hong Kong Cup (G1).

Trainer Danny Shum is well set for December after saddling the favorite, Romantic Warrior, and Tourbillon Diamond to a 1-2 finish in the BOCHK Jockey Club Cup.

Like Golden Sixty, reigning BMW Hong Kong Derby winner Romantic Warrior was having his first race of the season. But, also like Golden Sixty, he didn't show any rust or lack of fitness in winning for the eighth time from nine starts.

Reserved just off the pace by James McDonald, the 4-year-old Acclamation  gelding worked to the lead inside the 300-meter mark and eased away from the field to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Tourbillon Diamond got through between horses to finish second, a head in front of a closing Senor Toba.

"It was a really tough to decision whether to run him at 1,600 meters or 2,000 meters," Shum said of Romantic Warrior. "It is very hard to fight with Golden Sixty and California Spangle, so I talked to the owner about changing the plan and running at 2,000."

The 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4 miles) Cup is a prep for either the Longines Hong Kong Cup (G1) at the same distance or the Longines Hong Kong Vase at 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles), which does not have a local prep.

The BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (G2) produced a "lucky" exacta. Lucky Sweynesse, with Purton up, surged to the lead at midstretch and held on gamely to win by a neck from Lucky Patch. The favorite, Wellington, had every chance 100 meters out but stalled, finishing sixth of 14.

Lucky Sweynesse finished second to Wellington in the Premier Bowl (G2) in their last start. That was the first group race for Lucky Sweynesse, while Wellington is a top-level veteran with three group 1 wins.

"I thought it was a soft win," Purton said. "He's done a good job. He's a horse on the way up."