Beauty Only in the Hong Kong Classic Mile
Age restricted races are a bit of a rarity in the regular Hong Kong racing calendar. However, each winter, three Grade 1 races make up a coveted trio that any Hong Kong horseman wishes to win. Restricted to four-year-olds, the race series concludes with the prestigious Hong Kong Derby. The first of the three series races, the Hong Kong Classic Mile, was contested this past Sunday over the Sha Tin turf track, and it was Beauty Only running away with an impressive victory.
The day was exceptionally sunny and the track was listed at good to firm. However, despite the perfect weather conditions, the race times of the undercard races were on the slower end of what was considered normal for their distances. Coupled with the lack of a true pace setter in the Mile, pre-race expectations were for a slow early going with a cavalry charge in the last quarter mile.
Hot favorite, Divine Calling was coming into the race off a sensational Hong Kong debut win and recent 3rd place finish when being caught by higher rated horses in his second prep. Divine Calling is expected to be trainer Tony Millard’s top chance for the Hong Kong Derby, and in some reports was expected to handle this field with relative ease.
Giant Treasure, another gray with an impressive debut performance was now stepping up in class and making his Hong Kong stakes debut. Entering the Classic Mile a winner over many that were to enter the starting gate on Sunday, he was expected to have the best chance to knock off Divine Calling.
Heavy favoritism of the two grays let the odds float higher for the remainder of the field, many of whom have been winners in Hong Kong or abroad prior to being brought to the Jockey Club. One such horse was the Holy Roman Emperor gelding, Beauty Only, who is campaigned by the same owners and trainer as the 2010 winner of this race, Beauty Flash.
In a recent prep, Beauty Only changed tactics and pressed the speed rather than sitting far back in the field and relying on his turn of foot. This prompted a hot early pace that set up an impressive win for afore mentioned Giant Treasure. Not to temp fate twice, jockey Neil Callan was going to go back to the tried and true method that had allowed him to guide Beauty Only to victory twice this season.
Breaking from gate 9 in the field of 11, Callan took Beauty Only three wide toward the back of the field and let his bay gelding settle for the long haul. As expected the pace was not fast, but honest enough to ensure a good set up for the closers. Swinging into the stretch, Callan eased Beauty Only to a clear path and under urging began his stretch drive. He made quick work of Giant Treasure and then set his sights on daylight ahead of him. Divine Calling had a clear run from the inside, but was no match for the turn of foot from Beauty Only.
Crossing the line 2 ¼ lengths clear of the two grays with Callan standing in the stirrups throwing a fist pump the crowd, Beauty Only stopped the clock in a very respectable 1:33.95 while closing his last quarter of a mile in 22.99s.
“It was pretty instant,” said Callan, when asked about Beauty Only’s turn of foot. “The more racing he’s getting here, the more speed he’s getting.”
Next up will be the G1 Hong Kong Classic Cup at 1800m with the series concluding with the 2000m G1 Hong Kong Derby in March. When asked about Beauty Only’s ability to stretch out in distance, neither trainer Tony Cruz nor Callan seems worried. For now, they can relish in the spotlight of Derby favoritism, but there’s work to be done before hoisting the trophy in March. The undercard featured two talented 4 year olds winning their respective 1800m races. Top Act and Got Fly are two aptly named horse with their sights now set on Cruz’s Beauty Only.