Double in Valley Sure to make Lui Happy

Trainer Francis Lui came away with a race to race double at Happy Valley overnight as he prepares his champion Golden Sixty to defend the Group One Hong Kong Mile this weekend.

The first of the victories came in race five with Win Win Fighter ridden by Derek Leung claiming the second leg of the Longines International Jockey’s Championship.

Coming off a second placing last start after making up ground over the same distance the gelding this time relished the inside run from gate two.

Getting out to sit fifth until 100m out when sweeping out deep four wide to come over the top and beat Hugh Bowman’s mount Royal Pride on the line.

In race six Vincent CY Ho piloted Gold Gold Baby home ringing up the Lui trained double.

Leaving the barrier at the back end of the field and patiently rode there until passing the entire pack wide in another stylish win.

This win followed a handy fourth placing from a field of 12 and shows the desire for the horse to settle back behind the pace and perform when asked the question by the jockey.

These two wins put Lui on 19 wins in the Hong Kong Trainers Premiership behind Tony Cruz (20) and Frankie Lor leading on 21.

Golden Sixty is the seven-year-old Medaglia D’Oro-Gaudeamus gelding who has won 22 from 25 starts and taken $20.7 million in race earnings so far.

He is an elite champion who won the Group 2 Bochk Private Wealth Mile last month after victories in seven Group Ones and a further seven Group company races.

“He is healthy, happy and is character is just the same. You can see every time, he just wants to pass a horse in front of him,” he said on his equine champion.

“To me, I think he is a special horse.”

In other international news from Happy Valley overnight gun Australian hoop Jamie Kah won during her debut Hong Kong meet on Hearty Wish.

After being approached on numerous occasions to become the next Australian to dominate Hong Kong racetracks Kah was using the meet as a test, and she sure showed her ability once again.

She will now return to Australia to partner Godolphin’s Group One winner Kementari in the $1.5m Gold Rush at Ascot.

The Gold Rush is Australia’s newest feature race a weight for age run over 1400m and worth $1.5 million, previously known as the AJ Scahill Stakes.

The international powerhouse, Godolphin, have two chances in the race prepared by trainer James Cummings off the back of his best feature race season which has seen him claim seven Group 1 victories so far.

By Rowan Anderson