Beauty Generation Meets Dubai Hopefuls in Hong Kong

Beauty Generation, the world's top-rated turf miler, faces only five rivals in the Stewards' Cup (G1) at Sha Tin Racecourse Jan. 20. Some will be using the race as a steppingstone to Dubai.

Beauty Generation, a 7-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding by Road to Rock—Stylish Bel, by Bel Esprit, is undefeated in four starts this season, most recently landing the Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1) by three lengths. In his 2017-18 season, the John Moore trainee notched three group 1 victories but was seventh in the Stewards' Cup.

Moore watched Beauty Generation through an easy piece of work on the Sha Tin turf Jan. 17.

"That's how we want him going into another group 1 race," the trainer said. "He's going into the race in perfect shape, if not better than he's ever been. He's relaxed in his work, he's a happy horse, and we couldn't be happier."

Rival trainer Tony Cruz acknowledges Beauty Generation's superiority but hasn't given up on his own talented though sometimes reluctant star—Pakistan Star. While he has failed to place in his past four starts, he looked smooth in his most recent barrier trial.

"Pakistan Star is the only horse that could beat Beauty Generation Sunday," Cruz said in the lead-up to the race. "This horse is always best when he comes from behind, so we need to ride him quietly. … Pakistan Star has that fast last quarter. He's capable of running some really fast times in that last quarter. He's up against a top horse, but I think he'll be right behind him coming into the finish."

Cruz said Pakistan Star holds entries in the Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline (G1) at 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles on the dirt) and the Dubai Turf Sponsored By DP World (G1) at 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles on the turf), both March 30 at Meydan.

"I want to take him to Dubai," Cruz said. "I believe he can do it. I think he'd be a good traveler. The only thing against him would be that he's never gone left-handed. But he has a good action and a turn of foot, so I think he'd handle it."

That would be a challenging assignment as Thunder Snow and Benbatl are on site at Meydan, preparing to defend their respective titles in those races.

Southern Legend, who placed behind Beauty Generation in their two previous meetings, takes on that rival again in the Stewards' Cup. But his trainer, Caspar Fownes, is also looking ahead a few months with entries in the Dubai Turf and the Godolphin Mile Sponsored By Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City-District 1 (G2) on the dirt. Fownes hopes to take Southern Legend to Dubai early to try the Meydan dirt course in a prep race.

"I want to give him one dirt run because if he takes to it and gets up on the speed and performs well on the surface, he's going to be competitive," Fownes said. "If we need to, we can switch him to the turf the run after. The options are available. He trials really well on this dirt at Sha Tin, but it's a totally different surface there."

Also on the Jan. 20 card at Sha Tin, Mr Stunning, D B Pin, Beat The Clock, and Little Giant—first four across the line in the Dec. 9 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (G1)—face off again in a field of eight in the Centenary Sprint Cup (G1) at 1,200 meters (about six furlongs).