Hong Kong Horses All-Conquering on Champions Day

If Hong Kong connections had been offered the chance to write a script for the three group 1 races on Champions Day at Sha Tin Racecourse, they might have been embarrassed to author something so glowing as the actual result.

Facing a credible if not imposing slate of international rivals, the local heroes carried all before them as a crowd of 49,496 watched in awe. To wit:

— Golden Sixty won the FWD Champions Mile (G1) for the third straight year, ascending to or at least near the global record for career earnings while firming up his claims to be Hong Kong's all-time greatest.

— Romantic Warrior saw off a field including three international group 1 winners in the FWD QE II Cup (G1) with jockey James McDonald already saluting the crowd as he approached the finish.

— Lucky Sweynesse dominated his older rival and two-time Hong Kong sprint champion Wellington and raiders from England and Japan in the Chairman's Sprint Prize (G1).

The rest of the world now can look out as at least two of the Hong Kong stars are poised to pursue international goals of their own.

"How good are the Hong Kong horses? They're flying today," McDonald said after easing Romantic Warrior home.

Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges called the performance remarkable, especially for Hong Kong's first big race day after the lifting early this year of pandemic restrictions.

"It was a day that showed Hong Kong racing has fully come back to the world stage with the atmosphere and the performances of these champion horses," Engelbrecht-Bresges said.

"What we saw today was absolutely world-class racing and there were absolutely outstanding performances of really great champions of the turf."

Golden Sixty, a 7-year-old Medaglia d'Oro   gelding, won a Hong Kong record ninth group 1 race, scoring for the 25th time from 29 local starts. He certainly will be a third-time local Horse of the Year at season's end.

The HKJC calculated his career earnings jumped to HK$147,930,600 (about US$18.85 million). While comparisons are difficult because of fluctuating exchange rates and other factors, the club reckoned that boosts Golden Sixty comfortably past the mark held by Winx .

Jockey Vincent Ho acknowledged riding the champ is something special.

"I told myself before this race to try and enjoy every moment with Golden Sixty because he is seven now and we don't know when he is going to retire," Ho said. "I'm happy for the horse and happy for the crowds that come to support him. He's just an amazing horse. He's going as well as ever. There's no sign of him dropping in performance."

Trainer Francis Lui said there is a chance Golden Sixty will return for the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (G1) May 28 at 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) but December's Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1) is the main goal.

Romantic Warrior's victory in the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4 miles) QE II Cup might have been the most impressive of the three group 1 events. He was facing the likes of Dubai Honor, a British-based runner fresh from two group 1 wins in Australia, and Danon the Kid, who finished second behind him in December in the Longines Hong Kong Cup (G1).

After chasing a slow pace down the backstretch, Romantic Warrior picked up through the final 200 meters while his rivals could not and won by a comfortable two lengths. Dubai Honor finished third and Danon the Kid fifth.

Romantic Warrior ran the final 400 meters in 22.53 seconds, faster than Golden Sixty and only 0.27 second slower than Lucky Sweynesse.

"I feel big relief," said winning trainer Danny Shum, crediting his entire stable team. "We plan to run now in the Champions & Chater Cup and then we will have a good look about Japan for next season" with the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) as the target.

"I'd like to go to Japan," Shum added. "I have a history because my ex-boss, Ivan, won the Yasuda Kinen and I hope I will follow him successfully and win a group 1 there." Ivan Allan trained the 2000 winner, Fairy King Prawn.

Lucky Sweynesse had to work his way past the early leaders in the Chairman's Sprint Prize but when set down for the stretch run, he blew away the field that included his local rival and international raiders Aguri and Flaming Rib . The final margin was 3 1/4 lengths but Lucky Sweynesse was well geared down at the end by jockey Zac Purton, conserving fuel for potential engagements overseas later in the season.

"That was what we were hoping to see today," Purton said. "I feel like we're going to see a better horse again next season. The sky is the limit at the moment."

Winning trainer Manfred Man said Lucky Sweynesse's future might include tilts at such races as the 1,600-meters (about one mile) Yasuda Kinen (G1) in Tokyo in June or The Everest at 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) in Sydney in October.

"I think, at this moment, we're thinking about 1,200 meters or 1,400 meters distance," Man said. "One mile is still a concern. We're still thinking. I need to discuss with the owner first. When we make the decision, we'll tell everybody."