Champion galloper Golden Sixty (Medaglia d’Oro) overhauled Romantic Warrior in a gripping duel in the HK$12 million Gr.1 Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Jockey Vincent Ho stalked the pace aboard Golden Sixty before stoking Hong Kong’s champion up at the turn for home – trailing Karis Teetan as he did the same atop Romantic Warrior. The pair tore clear in the straight with Golden Sixty reeling in his rival by a head.
Ensuring a Triple Crown tilt remains an option, Trainer Francis Lui declared that it will be under consideration whether Golden Sixty will be chanced with joining the great River Verdon, who accomplished the three-race sweep in 1994 with victory in the third and final leg – the Gr.1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) on 28 May.
“We’ll see. We have time to consider it because there is a long way to go – it is one of the options we have,” Lui said.
Golden Sixty is a possible to contest the Gr.2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) on 9 April before tackling either the Gr.1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) or Gr.1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) on FWD Champions Day (30 April). The Gr.1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) on 4 June in Tokyo, Japan shapes as the Medaglia d’Oro gelding’s overseas target – should he go.
Ho believed Golden Sixty would be vulnerable over 2000m where he thought Romantic Warrior would excel.
“To be honest, I expected the other horse would have beaten us but, of course, I just do my best on Golden Sixty without hurting him too much for the Champions Mile or if we go to Japan, so it’s going to take time for him to recover, aged seven now,” Ho Said.
“I just don’t want to over-do it, but doing my best to (help him) perform at that level.
“He’s got a great heart and he’s always trying his best.”
Sunday’s triumph was Golden Sixty’s eighth at the elite-level and enhances his all-time earnings to HK$136.53 million with an astonishing 24 wins overall from 28 starts.
“I’m very happy. In my lifetime, I think this is the best horse and I don’t think I can have another one. You can’t expect another one,” Lui said. “It’s a difficult consideration, I think (it will be Japan) if I plan to run overseas. I have to discuss it with Vincent, but of course he still thinks he’s a miler.”
Continuing to amaze on track, the 131-rated Golden Sixty – now in his seven-year-old season – was sold by Riversley Park to Lui for $300,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale in 2017.
Money Catcher, a son of Ferlax who raced in New Zealand as Jason Belltree for Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley, finished third, while Glorious Dragon grabbed fourth.
