Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup
The Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup is a Group 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for the middle distance horses at Sha Tin conducted by Hong Kong Jockey Club.
The Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup is run over 2000m. It was first run in 1979 over 1800m.
It is the second leg of the Hong Kong Triple Crown following the Stewards' Cup and leading into the Champions & Chater Cup.
John Moore has an incredible record winning 11 editions overall.
Australasian jockeys have had a real trot in the last two decades winning via the likes of James McDonald, Blake Shinn, Hugh Bowman, Tommy Berry, Zac Purton, Darren Beadman and Shane Dye.
Time Warp won the race in 2018 and regained the title in 2020.
Golden Sixty took his record to 16 wins from 17 starts when he just got home in the 2021 running. He failed as a short favourite in 2022 but then won the title back in 2023 in a great race against Romantic Warrior.
That 2022 winner Russian Emperor is the son of former champion Australian mare Atlantic Jewel. The winner was trained by Douglas Whyte who also won the race multiple times as a jockey.
Romantic Warrior came back after his 2023 defeat and kept his great 2000m form going in a tremendous battle with Voyage Bubble.
The Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup was worth HK$13m in 2024.
Some notable winners of the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup include Romantic Warrior (2024), Golden Sixty (2021/2023), Exultant (2019), Time Warp (2018/2020), Werther (2017), Designs On Rome (2015/2016), Military Attack (2013/2014), Ambitious Dragon (2012), California Memory (2011), Viva Pataca (2008/2009), Vengeance Of Rain (2007), Bullish Luck (2004) and Indigenous (1998/1999).
The 2024 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup was won by Romantic Warrior from Voyage Bubble and Nimble Nimbus.