Sixty, Spangle succumb on Champions Day

It wasn’t to be for Golden Sixty as he could only manage fourth in the Champions Mile at Sha Tin.

BEAUTY ETERNAL winning the THE PREMIER CUP (HANDICAP)
BEAUTY ETERNAL winning the THE PREMIER CUP (HANDICAP) Picture: HKJC

Seeking a record fourth win in the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m), Golden Sixty was unable to reel in Zac Purton aboard Beauty Eternal, eventually fading to finish fourth in what could be his final career run.

With the track downgraded to yielding after race one, Beauty Eternal ($12) made the most of a very slow tempo and held off all challengers to score by 1.5 lengths over Red Lion ($30), with Voyage Bubble ($6) a further quarter length away in third.

Jumping from the widest barrier, Purton had a plan pre-race and was able to execute it to perfection.

"There was no speed in the race, which gave us the opportunity to lead. The last thing I said to John [Size, trainer] before the race was 'I think the going is a lot better on the fence," Purton said.

"He just got into a lovely rhythm and controlled the race and I thought the only chance I had to beat Golden Sixty was to try to put a gap on them and see how we went and today was his day."

Having been well beaten at his only other attempt on yielding ground, Vincent Ho said the conditions again didn't suit Golden Sixty.

"It is what it is, we can't fight the weather. I was in a great position and everything was close to the speed, but still we couldn't improve on that ground," Ho said.

Earlier in the day, in the first of the three Group Ones on the card, it was Hugh Bowman and Invincible Sage ($6.9) turning the tables on race favourite California Spangle ($2.4) and Brenton Avdulla in the Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize (1200m).

Formerly known as Thron Bone when trained by Jerome Hunter in Australia, Invincible Sage enjoyed a perfect run under Bowman who tracked a hot speed and came clear on the soft ground, winning by 1.5 lengths, with Mugen and Blake Shinn  finishing third.

"He is up to top class now. I think a rain-affected track may have assisted his performance, but even on a dry track I think we would have seen a winning performance today," Bowman said.

Avdulla, who was aiming for a hattrick of Group One wins aboard California Spangle, said his mount went "terrific" after copping a lot of pressure on speed.


Racing and Sports



Sha Tin

Sunday, 28th April 2024

7

THE FWD CHAMPIONS MILE (G1)

WT: 57kg Type: OPEN
HKD $22,000,000
1600m TURF YIELDING
7
HKD $22,000,000
1600m YIELDING

THE FWD CHAMPIONS MILE (G1)

WT: 57kg Type: OPEN
FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 3. BEAUTY ETERNAL (AUS) 5yo G
STARSPANGLEDBANNER (AUS) - ITHACAN QUEEN (NZ)
ZAC PURTON
JOHN SIZE
$12
57kg
PATRICK KWOK HO CHUEN

Sales Information

2nd 10. RED LION (IRE) 5yo G
BELARDO (IRE) - CRYSTAL IDEA (IRE)
HUGH BOWMAN
JOHN SIZE
$30
57kg
MRS P HARNEY

Sales Information

3rd 2. VOYAGE BUBBLE (AUS) 5yo G
DEEP FIELD (AUS) - RAHEIGHTS (AUS)
JAMES MCDONALD
P F YIU
$6
57kg
Sunshine And Moonlight Syndicate

Sales Information

4th 1. GOLDEN SIXTY (AUS) 8yo G
MEDAGLIA D'ORO (USA) - GAUDEAMUS (USA)
C Y HO
K W LUI
$1.5
57kg

Sales Information

5th 9. GALAXY PATCH (AUS) 4yo G
WANDJINA (AUS) - VOLTARA (AUS)
BLAKE SHINN
PIERRE NG
$5.9
57kg

Sales Information

6th 11. TAJ DRAGON (IRE) 5yo G
MEHMAS (IRE) - NEXT TRIAL (IRE)
ANDREA ATZENI
PIERRE NG
$101
57kg

Sales Information

7th 4. BEAUTY JOY (AUS) 7yo G
SEBRING (AUS) - IMPRESSIVE JEUNEY (AUS)
BRENTON AVDULLA
A S CRUZ
$23
57kg
8th 8. ELTON BAROWS (JPN) 4yo H
DEEP BRILLANTE (JPN) - SHONAN CARAT (JPN)
ATSUYA NISHIMURA
HARUKI SUGIYAMA
$86
57kg
9th 6. BRAVE EMPEROR (IRE) 4yo G
SIOUX NATION (USA) - ROMAN GAL (IRE)
LUKE MORRIS
ARCHIE WATSON
$46
57kg

Sales Information

10th 5. OBAMBURUMAI (JPN) 4yo H
DISCREET CAT (USA) - PINK GERBERA (JPN)
DAMIAN LANE
KEIJI YOSHIMURA
$46
57kg
11th 7. CHAMPAGNE COLOR (JPN) 4yo H
DURAMENTE (JPN) - MEMORIAL LIFE (GB)
RYUSEI SAKAI
TSUYOSHI TANAKA
$125
57kg