Golden Sequence Continues at Sha Tin

Hong Kong champion-elect Golden Sixty (Medaglia d’Oro-Gaudeamus, by Distorted Humor) extended his unbeaten run to 13 straight wins with victory in Sunday’s Gr1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin. Stretching out his unquestionable brilliance to 2000m, the rising global star was forced to work arguably harder than he ever has in an effort to add a third consecutive Group 1 to his glittering record which now stands at 16 wins from 17 starts. That’s still four in arrears of Silent Witness’ record 17 consecutive wins, however that’s academic for a horse whose cult status in justifiable. Dropped out to his customary position at the rear of the field, the Medaglia d’Oro gelding began his surge in the straight but the challenge from Furore (Pierro) on the inside required jockey Vincent Ho to call on everything that Golden Sixty could give and, it proved just enough as he prevailed by a short head, the smallest margin of any of his wins. Exultant (Teofilo) finished third. Now rated 131, Golden Sixty is only two wins shy of Beauty Generation’s single-season record of eight and, he has the first two legs of Hong Kong’s Triple Crown in the bag after claiming last month’s Gr1 Stewards’ Cup. The third and final leg of the Triple Crown is the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup on 23 May and, if successful stepping up to 12 furlongs in three months’ time, he could become the second horse after River Verdon in the 1993/94 racing season to win the Triple Crown. Originally a $120,000 yearling consigned by Element Hill at the 2017 Magic Millions National Sale, Golden Sixty was subsequently a $300,000 juvenile consigned by Riversley Park at the 2017 NZB Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs.

Golden Sixty won by a whisker (pic: hkjc.com)