New Zealand-bred galloper Beauty Generation reinforced why he is rated the best turf miler in the world on Sunday, demolishing his opposition in the Gr.1 Longines Hong Kong Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin.
The Road to Rock gelding made it back-to-back wins in the Hong Kong feature, with reigning Hong Kong Champion jockey Zac Purton guiding him to his fourth victory at elite level.
However, the John Moore-trained runner didn’t have everything his own way, sitting three-wide in the early stages of the race after jumping away well from barrier 12.
He eventually wrestled the lead at the 800m mark and wasn’t headed for the remainder of the race, winning effortlessly by three lengths.
While the eyes of the racing world watched in awe, his proud breeder Greg Tomlinson relied on the call of Hong Kong race caller Brett Davis to take in his biggest moment as a breeder.
“He’s such a gutsy horse,” Tomlinson said. “Unfortunately, I haven’t had the opportunity to watch the race, but I have listened to it on the radio.
“It was an incredible win. John Moore was pretty confident leading into the race.”
While the New Zealand businessman’s busy work schedule hasn’t allowed him to grab a moment to view the race yet, he is excited for what he has in store after being overjoyed by Beauty Generation’s last-start win in the Gr.2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile (1600m).
“Certainly his last race he looked absolutely amazing and how he managed to get himself in the position he did to win the race, he’s just pure class,” he said. “I’m looking forward to watching this race too when I get the opportunity.”
Tomlinson, who breeds from approximately 40 mares each year, rates Beauty Generation as the best horse he has bred and said he appreciates the difficulty behind breeding such a quality animal.
Tomlinson said Beauty Generation’s existence came about by chance. As an investor in several stallions in New Zealand, he was on the lookout for a number of lease mares for one of those stallions, dual Group One winner Road to Rock.
He happened across Stylish Bel, a Bel Esprit mare, who he thought would be an ideal mating for the stallion.
“I was short of mares and Stylish Bel was a mare that we leased and on pedigree we felt that she was right for Road to Rock,” he said.
“It’s great (to have bred such a good horse), we know how hard it is to do it and I’m just lucky enough to have been involved in the breeding of the horse.
“He’s quite amazing and at the moment he could be one of the better horses to come out of New Zealand for some time, which is great for New Zealand and the breeding economy.”
Tomlinson sold Beauty Generation through Highden Park’s 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale draft for $60,000 to Kiwi supermodel Kylie Bax under her Hermes Syndications banner.
The son of Road to Rock was initially trained in Australia by Anthony Cummings, where he raced as Montaigne, and was runner-up in the Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) before he was sold to Hong Kong.
He has thrived in the Asian racing jurisdiction, winning four Group One races and more than HK$60million (NZ$11.3million) in prizemoney, and was crowned Hong Kong Horse of the Year last season.
While Tomlinson’s busy work schedule hasn’t allowed him to fly up to Hong Kong to witness any of those victories, he was quick to block out his calendar for the Dubai World Cup meeting in March after Beauty Generation was nominated for the Gr.1 Dubai Turf (1800m).
“I’ve checked my calendar and it was put in the diary very early this morning, so I’ll be making every effort to get there,” Tomlinson said.
“Unfortunately the race meetings that he has been in (in Hong Kong) haven’t worked for my diary, but I’ll make sure I change that with Dubai.”
