By Bren O'Brien
Golden Sixty (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) took his winning streak to 10 and his career record to 13 wins from 14 starts with another effortless win, this time in the G2 Jockey Club Mile at Sha Tin.
The 4-year-old Triple Crown winner from last season made it three straight wins to start the 2020/21 campaign, powering past his rivals to win by 1.5l, with Ka Ying Star (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) in second and Southern Legend (Not A Single Doubt) another 0.25l away in third.
He becomes just the fourth horse to win 10 or more races in succession in Hong Kong, with his only defeat coming at his fourth start.
The victory rounded off Golden Sixty's preparations for the G1 Hong Kong Mile on December 13, with trainer Francis Lui confirming that is the direction he will be heading.
Lui purchased Golden Sixty on behalf of Stanley Chan from the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale for NZ$300,000, from Riversley Park, who sourced him out of the draft of his breeders at Element Hill at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $120,000.
Element Hill, through Josh Hutchins Bloodstock, purchased his dam, the Irish Group 2 and Listed winner Gaudeamus (USA) (Distorted Humour {USA}) in foal to Medaglia D'Oro (USA) for $160,000 from the draft of Wood Park Farm.
She has produced five winners in all, including the stakes-placed Igitur (Helmet), while her Capitalist filly is offered as Lot 336 as part of Element Hill's draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Australian-bred Hot King Prawn (Denman) overcame a wide run throughout to impressively win the G2 Jockey Club Sprint later on the program.
Ridden by Joao Moreira, the John Size-trained 6-year-old claimed his second victory in the race, having won in back in 2018.
The grey sat deep but off the pace set by Computer Patch (Exceed And Excel) and Big Time Baby (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) but responded to the riding of Moreira to swoop over his rivals to defeat Computer Patch by 0.75l, with Rattan (NZ) (Savabeel), charging home for third after blowing the start.
The time of 1:08.00 was only half a second off the track record.
Bred by Torryburn Stud, Hot King Prawn was a $90,000 Inglis Classic Sale purchase. His dam De Chorus (Unbridled's Song {USA}) has produced five winners, including the Group 3 winner Siren's Fury (Myboycharlie {Ire}) and is a winning daughter of stakes winner Val De Grace (NZ) (Centaine).
He has now won 11 of his 21 starts, and he will be aimed at the Hong Kong International Sprint which he ran a narrow second to in behind Beat The Clock (Hinchinbrook) last year.
Furore (NZ) caused a minor upset in the G2 Jockey Club Cup, defeating his Tony Cruz stablemate Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and delivering a feature double for Moreira.
Furore had the better of Exultant when they met in the G3 SA Ladies' Purse H. last time out and he again proved superior, showing a better turn of foot to race past Exultant at the 200 metre mark before holding on to win by 0.75l. Columbus County (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), finished third, another 1.25l astern.
The 2019 Hong Kong Derby winner made it four wins from 19 starts, is headed to the G1 Hong Kong Cup on international day.
Furore was a NZ$210,000 buy from the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka. His dam Stormy Choice (Redoute's Choice) has produced four winners, including the Group 3 winner Blizzard (Starcraft {NZ}).
