Hong Kong: Golden Sixty is star in draw for 4 Group 1 races

Golden Sixty must overcome the widest draw of all in post 14 if he is to reclaim his Group 1 Hong Kong Mile crown on Sunday in a turn of events that drew audible gasps from the assembled audience at Thursday’s draw in Sha Tin’s iconic parade ring.

Posts were determined for all four of the Hong Kong international turf races that will be run on a card that starts Saturday at 11:25 p.m. EST. The Vase is Sunday at 1:10 a.m., the Sprint at 1:50 a.m., the Mile at 3 a.m. and the Cup at 3:40 a.m. EST.

Golden Sixty won his first Hong Kong Mile in 2020 from post 7 of 10. Twelve months later he followed up when peeling to the outside after an inside trip from post 2.

He failed to reel in California Spangle when drawn to post 4 in the 2022 edition, and in addition to attempting to win a third time in what will be his seasonal reappearance, Vincent Ho will need to plot a path from out wide on the 8-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro.

“Of course, it’s not an ideal draw, and it makes things difficult for Vincent,” trainer Francis Lui said. “Mid-field with cover, of course (would be best). If you look at the field I think California Spangle will lead, and he will slow down the pace. Probably this race will be run at a slow pace. It’s going to be difficult.”

Asked how post 14 changes the task for Hong Kong’s pre-eminent miler, Lui said, “I think I will leave it to the jockey. I think the horse knows what to do. He has run so many races, and it all depends on the situation.”

Christophe Soumillon will have a much more straightforward task from post 3 aboard California Spangle, and the rematch from 12 months ago sets up with a similar scenario, albeit with the two principals drawn much wider apart this year.

Jockey Yuga Kawada will start just outside from post 4 on Serifos, but three more of Japan’s five-strong challenge were less fortunate. Danon The Kid, Soul Rush and Namur filled posts 10, 11 and 12 respectively.

Program numbers are shown in the race fields below. They usually do not match post positions.

Lucky Sweynesse draws 5 for Sprint

Lucky Sweynesse will break from post 5 in the six-furlong Hong Kong Sprint (G1) with Zac Purton able to eyeball defending winner Wellington in the 3 hole.

The draw means the two are physically separated by another leading home hope in Victor The Winner, who also split them across the line in the six-furlong Jockey Club Sprint (G2) on Nov. 19.

Four-time Group 1 winner Highfield Princess must make the best of her way home from post 9 in a final field of 10 declared Thursday.

Big-race jockey Jason Hart is scheduled to link up with her on the all-weather track at Sha Tin on Friday morning after trainer John Quinn elected to give the 6-year-old Night Of Thunder mare a quiet time in the quarantine stables Thursday following her turf breeze 24 hours earlier.

One trainer who did not wait for the draw before declaring his intentions was Hideyuki Mori.

Outside pressure seems assured from Mori-trained Jasper Krone, the mount of Yuga Kawada, who made all in a pair of Group 3 victories in Japan this summer and attempted to repeat the tactic when fourth in the Sprinters Stakes (G1) before disappointing with his last-place finish in the five-furlong Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.

Before getting post 8, Mori told a pre-draw news conference that Jasper Krone “will lead on Sunday and set a good pace.”

Romantic Warrior defends in Cup

In the Hong Kong Cup (G1), two more rivals drawn in close proximity are 2022 winner Romantic Warrior and Prognosis, Japan’s top hope for the US$4.6 million feature. They drew posts 7 and 6, respectively.

Still riding a wave of goodwill following Romantic Warrior’s historic win in the Cox Plate (G1) in Australia, owner Peter Lau said, “Since he came back, he has eaten better, his body weight is normal, and (jockey) James McDonald says that, in his training and trials, he feels even better.”

The Aidan O’Brien-trained quartet got mostly favorable post positions, but Cup contender Luxembourg is parked out in post 10 on the short run to the first bend of the 1 1/4-mile race.

France’s Horizon Dore has the opposite problem from post 1, given the hold-up tactics thus far employed with the 3-year-old. While he should be guaranteed to go the shortest way round, Mickaël Barzalona will need the gaps to appear at the right time.

Warm Heart draws rail for Vase

O’Brien managed to draw post 1 for Yorkshire Oaks (G1) and Prix Vermeille (G1) heroine Warm Heart in the 1 1/2-mile Hong Kong Vase (G1), a potentially enticing prospect for jockey Ryan Moore. That is because the 3-year-old filly was ridden positively by James Doyle in both those 1 1/2-mile wins in Europe.

With Shahryar withdrawn on Thursday morning, the leading Japan chance on form appears to be Lebensstill, aboard whom João Moreira will start from post 7.

Coverage of the Hong Kong International Races at Horse Racing Nation is made possible through a sponsorship by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.