Golden Sixty and Wellington join LONGINES Hong Kong International Races entry

At the close of entries for 2022 HK$110 million LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) at Sha Tin on 11 December, the total number of nominations for the glittering meeting grew to 172, including 53 individual Gr.1 winners. The leading Hong Kong contenders are Golden Sixty, Wellington, California Spangle, and Romantic Warrior. There are 127 overseas-trained gallopers competing in the LONGINES HKIR, including 44 Gr1 winners. Group 1 winners Sky Field, Russian Emperor, Panfield, Waikuku, and Stronger are all participating. A record number of entrants from nine countries are expected for this year's four Group 1 features, which include the HK$34 million Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup, HK$30 million Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile, HK$24 million Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), and HK$22 million Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m). Francis Lui has entered Hong Kong champion Golden Sixty in both the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile and the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup, giving himself more than one possible outcome. If Golden Sixty gets the nod for the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile, he'll try to win the feature race three years in a row like Good Ba Ba did in 2007, 2008, and 2009. The Gr.2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile will be held on November 20 and will feature the return of Hong Kong's reigning Horse of the Year, Golden Sixty, who will go up against Romantic Warrior, winner of the 2022 BMW Hong Kong Derby and the Gr.1 FWD QEII Cup and California Spangle, who is also entered in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.

Twenty-two Hong Kong-trained horses will compete in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint, including Wellington, who made his return with a brilliant win in the Gr.2 Premier Bowl Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (23 October). There, he could face 2021 winner Sky Field, who finished third at the weekend after being rattled, as well as fellow Group 1 winner Stronger and rising talents Lucky Sweynesse and Cordyceps Six. Beyond Golden Sixty, Hong Kong's hopes of winning the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup may depend on the shoulders of Romantic Warrior, Russian Emperor, and Panfield, three world-class stayers. The Irishman, who won his most recent outing, More Than This, Savvy Nine, Ka Ying Star, Tourbillon Diamond, and Turin Redsun are all in the running. The novel Beautyverse has been nominated by Tony Cruz for both the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile and the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup. Beautyverse, then known as Jungle Magnate, won the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville Racecourse in May 2022. He has not yet competed in Hong Kong. Along with Senor Toba and Ka Ying Star, the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase also included entries for Romantic Warrior, Russian Emperor, and Panfield.