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| Sumita Pawar |
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Golden Sixty, Hong Kong's champion horse, is set to make history as he attempts to win his fourth consecutive HKUS$22 million Champions Mile at Sha Tin on Sunday. The 8YO son of Medaglia d'Oro is the first horse to complete an FWD Champions Mile hat-trick in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
After claiming the HKUS$32 million Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile last December, Golden Sixty is returning to the track for the first time in 2024. With an unmatched HKUS$165.85 million in earnings, Golden Sixty will run with Vincent Ho, his trusted companion, for trainer Francis Lui as he makes his first start in 140 days.
Lui mentioned that the weather is the only concern, not the barrier draw. He added that Golden Sixty is a professional horse who takes care of himself, and his condition has come up just in time. Golden Sixty has prevailed in 26 out of 30 starts and is the only horse to win 10 Group One races in the city. He has been named Hong Kong Horse of the Year for three consecutive years (2020/21, 2021/22 & 2022/23).
On Thursday, Golden Sixty galloped on Sha Tin's turf alongside stablemate Yellowfin under Ho, clocking 1m 20.00s (29.7, 28.6, 21.7), and is two-for-two when jumping from gate seven over Sha Tin's mile course. Despite the persistent rain in Hong Kong this week and the forecast of further showers through Sunday, Golden Sixty is determined to win.
Golden Sixty will have light work on Friday, a light canter on the little track, in preparation for Sunday's race. Lui mentioned that Galaxy Patch, Beauty Joy, and Brave Emperor are some of the horses that Golden Sixty will compete against. Voyage Bubble drew barrier six, while Galaxy Patch and Beauty Eternal pulled barriers one and 11, respectively. Obamburumai, trained by Keiji Yoshimura, will step from gate 10 under Damian Lane in the FWD Champions Mile.
Elton Barows and Champagne Color from Japan will break from barriers five and two, respectively. Victor The Winner, who finished third in the Gr.1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen in Japan last month, drew gate two for trainer Danny Shum ahead of Sunday's HKUS$22 million Gr.1 Chairman's Sprint Prize. Derek Leung will reunite with the sprinter this weekend.
Brave Emperor, trained by Archie Watson, is set to compete against Golden Sixty in the Group One FWD Champions Mile at Sha Tin on Sunday. British rider Luke Morris, who will be riding Brave Emperor, is optimistic about his horse's chances due to the forecasted persistent rainfall. Morris believes that the wet conditions will give Brave Emperor a "massive chance" of beating Golden Sixty, who is considered one of the best horses in the world.
Brave Emperor has won 10 of his 16 outings, including four victories in four different countries in his last five starts. Morris thinks that the local and Japanese horses might not be as effective on a wet track as Brave Emperor, who is very versatile ground-wise. Although his latest win took place on quick ground, the 4YO son of Sioux Nation is unbeaten from four appearances on a rain-softened surface, and his career-best effort came on heavy ground when he won a Group Two race in Italy.
Morris believes that Brave Emperor is a remarkable horse and has quite an upwards profile. He is impressed with the horse's versatility and his ability to be placed wherever they see fit on the day. Brave Emperor will jump from gate nine, and Morris is hopeful that he will win his 10th race at the top level. Morris has ridden in the United States of America, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and Japan but will be making his first visit to Hong Kong. He will also be riding Oriental Smoke and Mighty Stride over the weekend.