#Golden Sixty

Douglas Whyte believes a trip to Qatar for the H.H. The Amir Trophy (2400m) at Al Rayyan Racecourse on February 18 could "spark up" his two-time Group One winner Russian Emperor. Russian Emperor is joined by the Caspar Fownes-trained Senor Toba among the entries for the Qatar Group One contest, which boasts a purse of US$2.5 million (HK$19.5…

Essential Quality, shown winning the Grade I Travers, is among the favorites in a Breeders' Cup Classic field announced this week. Photo courtesy of New York Racing Association Oct. 29 (UPI) -- It's a week for looking forward as horse racing around the globe nears its annual champion-making events and youngsters get in final licks to make a case…

Largent, shown winning the 2020 Fort Lauderdale Stakes, returns from an 11-month layoff to contest Saturday's Tropical Turf at Gulfstream Park and could be considered for the Grade 1 Pegasus Turf with a good effort. Photo by Ryan Thompson, courtesy of Gulfstream Park Jan. 7 (UPI) -- A potential prep for the Pegasus World Cup Turf in Florida, a…

The LONGINES Hong Kong International 2022 racing came to a dramatic close at Sha Tin on Sunday with two hot favorites being defeated in the Group 1 races, but the events of the day did little to diminish the world class racing we got to enjoy over the entirety of the past week. The first upset came in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase when the heavily…

Set the alarm, stick the kettle on and get in a prime position on Sunday morning for the BMW Hong Kong Derby. This year's renewal looks set to be an absolute belter, and at the reasonable hour of 8:35 am it's worth getting up for. Six of the 14 horses lining up for the Hong Kong racing season's premier event for four-year-olds were previously…

Cyberknife, shown winning the Arkansas Derby, tops the list of invitations to the Grade I Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 28. Coady Photography, courtesy of Oaklawn Park Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Kentucky Derby preps in California and New York highlight the weekend horse racing schedule with plenty of would-be stars looking for a big step…

Golden Sixty: created history by retaining his Champions Mile crown Golden Sixty became Hong Kong's highest earner in history by dominantly retaining the Group 1 FWD Champions Mile on Sunday. California Spangle was given a soft time in front but the 2-5 favourite travelled ominously well throughout under Vincent Ho and picked off that rival easily…

Twice a winner over the course and distance, Beauty Joy finished fourth behind California Spangle, Golden Sixty and Laws Of Indices in the Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) on 11 December but, off-setting a drop in grade, Bowman is concerned by the small field in the HK$3.9 million feature. "If I had to be brutally honest, I think he would be…

Verry Elleegant and Nature Strip, the nation's best racehorses, are defying time - but for how much longer? Since the retirement of all-time great Winx three years ago, the Chris Waller-trained duo have reigned supreme. Nature Strip inherited the Horse of the Year title from his former stablemate in 2019-20 before Verry Elleegant claimed the honour…

California Spangle, seen at trackwork Dec. 7, tackles champion Golden Sixty and some tough foreign competition in Sunday's Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Mile. Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club HONG KONG, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- The Longines Hong Kong International Races take center stage in weekend horse racing, with competition from around the globe…

It is the Group One clash to which every racing fan in Hong Kong - and millions more around the world - is counting down the days, but who will start the Stewards' Cup favourite if Golden Sixty, California Spangle and Romantic Warrior line up against each other over the Sha Tin mile on January 29? It is unlikely to be Golden Sixty, according to…

It's been a week of ups and downs in the HK jockeys' room. Matthew Chadwick's good season is on hold after he broke his right ankle in a barrier trial accident on Tuesday and the 32-year-old "will not be fit to resume riding for some time" according to a HKJC statement. Karis Teetan is heading in the opposite direction after a three-month absence…

Down On Da Bayou blitzes her rivals in Thursday's UAE Oaks at Meydan, and now is headed for the Saudi Derby. Photo by Erika Rasmussen, courtesy of Dubai Racing Club Feb. 21 (UPI) Weekend horse racing features a dash of Kentucky Derby, Saudi Derby, Hong Kong Derby, Qatar Derby and even the Winter Derby with action from the Far East to the Middle…

A visit to the free-to-enter Hong Kong Racing Museum which overlooks the bend after the stands at Happy Valley racecourse gives an interesting insight into the sport's development in the former British colony. Racing in Hong Kong began as an amateur form of entertainment among the ex-pats in those colonial days but, for what remains a small-scale…

Anything good is worth waiting for and a LONGINES HKIR day that was three years in the making due to Covid restrictions created a host of vivid images. It started with Joao Moreira choking up at a packed paddock presentation to mark his exit from the HK racing scene. Win Marilyn's success in the Vase completed another memorable global year for…

Zac Purton: claimed the Hong Kong Vase with California Spangle California Spangle denied Golden Sixty a third success in the Longines Hong Kong Mile, with the odds-on favourite beaten by a masterful tactical ride from Zac Purton at Sha Tin. With Golden Sixty in his usual midfield position, Purton pressed ahead on the Tony Cruz-trained runner from…

California Spangle holds off Golden Sixty in Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Mile Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club HONG KONG, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- A super day for Hong Kong highlighted weekend horse racing with action-starved fans emerging from pandemic lockdowns to cheer on some new heroes from the Sha Tin Racecourse grandstand. Two-year-old filly…

The Hong Kong International Raceday has arrived with four Group Ones on the menu, highlighted by the HK$34million Longines Hong Kong Cup. Race 1 - Class 4 (1400m) The opener is a Class 4 over the 1400m and CIRCUIT MIGHTY (1) can just about make it back to back wins. The five-year-old has come back in good order this season and was too good for…

They came to bow down to the old king and left saluting a powerful new prince of Hong Kong racing as Romantic Warrior left a high-class global field trailing in his wake at Sha Tin on Sunday with a thunderous performance in the HK$34 million Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m). Hong Kong racing's biggest crowd since the corresponding day in 2019 gave…

Romantic Warrior triumphant in the Hong Kong Cup (HKJC) By Graham Cunningham They came to bow down to the old king and left saluting a powerful new prince of Hong Kong racing as Romantic Warrior left a high-class global field trailing in his wake at Sha Tin this afternoon (Sunday, 11 December) with a thunderous performance in the HK$34 million G1…

Arguably the best horse ever to be trained in Hong Kong, Golden Sixty became a household name during the region's strict Covid lockdown period. J A McGrath traces his career ahead of his hat-trick attempt in Sunday's Hong Kong Mile, one of four Group 1 events at the annual HK International Races at Sha Tin Covid lockdown heroes were uncovered in…

The Irishman saddles both Stone Age and Broome in the 12-furlong Vase, a race he won twice with Highland Reel in 2015 and 2017, while relying on Order Of Australia in the 10-furlong Cup. The Ballydoyle handler also won the Vase in 2020 with Mogul and appears to hold a strong hand again in the Group One contest. Stone Age, a son of the late…

James McDonald guides Romantic Warrior to victory in the Group 2 Jockey Club Cup at Sha Tin last month. Picture: Lo Chun Kit-Getty Images James McDonald has a lot of big races on his CV but he's determined to add the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup to that list and he won't get many better opportunities than this Sunday with rising star Romantic Warrior. The…

The good news for Japan is that there are no Croatian horses - or penalty shootouts - at this year's HKIR. The bad news is that Hong Kong (and perhaps Ireland) will provide stern opposition in Sunday's four G1 contests and now looks as good a time as any to allocate some Rising Sun Ratings on a scale of 1-3 for the key Japanese contenders. Set to…

Wednesday's Happy Valley races are highlighted not so much by the horses but the riders, as it's Longines International Jockeys Championship day. Seven jockeys from outside Hong Kong join five locally-based riders for the four-race event, which carries a first prize of HK$500000 (about $64000). The international challenge is headed by Ryan Moore,…

Four years on from his busman's holiday during a pre-Covid British summer, Vincent Ho remembers his short spell as part of Mark Johnston's team vividly. "Ryan Moore recommended Mr Johnston because he thought there would be an opportunity to get some rides and I really loved the village of Middleham and the whole experience," he says. "The weather…

Regal Glory winds up her career with a victory in Sunday's Grade I Matriarch at Del Mar. Benoit photo, courtesy of Del Mar Turf Club Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Mind Control and Regal Glory wound up their careers with Grade I victories a continent apart in weekend racing, while the another name popped up on the "Road to the Roses" Kentucky Derby 2023…

Channel Cat, shown winning the Grade I Man o' War in May, is among the favorites for Saturday's Grade II Red Smith Stakes at Aqueduct. Photo courtesy of New York Racing Association Nov. 19 (UPI) -- High-class graded stakes racing is spread across North America this weekend, with a turf showdown in New York, a tough mile event for fillies and mares…

Nest (white bridle), shown winning the 2021 Demoiselle at Aqueduct, returns as a heavy favorite in Saturday's Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, a Kentucky Oaks prep. Photo by Joe Labozzetta, courtesy of New York Racing Association Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Potential Kentucky Derby candidates are in action from California to Florida and all the way to…

Sodashi, a rare white Thoroughbred shown winning the Artemis Stakes earlier in the season, is among the favorites for Sunday's Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. Photo courtesy of Japan Racing Association Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Weekend horse racing takes an international turn as Sunday's Longines Hong Kong International Races could see the final runs by…

Rich Strike, seen posing the morning after his Kentucky Derby win, returns in Saturday's Grade I Clark Stakes with a chance to stake a claim for year-end honors. Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs Nov. 25 (UPI) -- It's getting to be crunch time for horses who seek year-end honors, and this weekend's Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs provides one of…

Knicks Go warms up for Saturday's Pegasus World Cup. Photo by Lauren King, courtesy of Gulfstream Park Jan. 28 (UPI) -- It's only January, with lots of races yet to come, but it's possible the "race of the year" could be run Saturday in the $3 million Grade I Pegasus Stakes at Gulfstream Park as speedy Breeders' Cup champions Knicks Go and Life Is…

There are a few names familiar to American racegoers that are heading to Hong Kong for the international raceday next month. Most are from Ireland. The foreign challenge for the four rich turf races includes a quartet from Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle team, all of whom have run in the United States. Heading O'Brien's team is the shock 2020 Breeders'…

This weekend's horse racing action is highlighted by a quartet of Grade 1 turf races in Hong Kong which have drawn an international cast, including Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare turf heroine Loves Only You. Stateside, the stakes action is led by the G2 Los Alamitos Futurity and the G3 Mr. Prospector on Saturday. Additionally, Arkansas Derby winner…

Havnameltdown wins Sunday's Bob Hope Stakes for 2-year-olds at Del Mar. Benoit photo, courtesy of Del Mar Turf Club Nov. 21 (UPI) -- One of the more interesting subplots of late-year racing is the emergence of late-blooming 2-year-olds and Del Mar's weekend program featured two of those -- Havnameltdown among the colts and Justique in the filly…

Further easing in the local COVID restrictions meant that the biggest crowd since January-better than 13000 racegoers-took in Sunday's BOCHK Jockey Club meeting at Sha Tin in person and were they ever rewarded. Making their seasonal debuts and having a single prep towards next month's Longines Hong Kong International Races, both two-time defending…

The Hong Kong international races are just three weeks away. Horses from around the world are getting ready for four of the richest international turf races around, with exciting contests assured. Though foreign horses have frequently been successful at the Hong Kong International meet, especially in the 1 1/2-mile Hong Kong Vase (G1) and the 1…

There aren't many racedays around the world that match Hong Kong International Day. Perhaps only Dubai World Cup Day, Royal Ascot, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Day, and the Breeders' Cup are as strong a magnet for international horses as the four Group 1 races up for grabs here. Hong Kong racing has also become much stronger over the years. Horses…

HORSE racing fans in the UK may be starved of any local action for the foreseeable future, but they still have an opportunity to watch Hong Kong's local flagship event of the racing calendar, the £2million Hong Kong Derby (8.35am) at Sha Tin on Sunday morning. Favourites have had a good record in the 10-furlong contest in recent years, with 11…

Dubai Honour: beaten at Royal Ascot but has come a long way since Dubai Honour suffered a handicap defeat off a mark of 91 on his first start of the year and ends it 30lb higher in the world's richest 1m2f turf race, but quick conditions - according to his camp - at Sha Tin may reduce his chances in Sunday's Longines Hong Kong Cup (8.30). The…

Beauty Generation, shown during morning track work Thursday, is one of many headliners on the Champions Day program Sunday at Hong Kong's Sha Tin Racecourse. Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club April 24 (UPI) -- With much of the world's horse racing still out of action because of the coronavirus, Hong Kong steps up this weekend with a trio of…

Flavien Prat, atop Flightline, looks between his legs for the rest of the field after winning the Breeders' Cup Classic at the Breeders' Cup Championships at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday. Photo by Mark Abraham/UPI | License Photo LEXINGTON, Ky., Nov. 7 (UPI) -- The Breeders' Cup is in the rearview mirror and the star of the…

Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty in morning trackwork Oct. 11, preparing for his return to action. Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Two-year-olds are on display this weekend at tracks from France to England and on to California, while much of the globe girds for the Breeders' Cup World Championships in two weeks'…

Nailing yet another heart-stopping win under jockey Vincent Ho, Hong Kong's champion savoured the 19th win of his career to set a new record in town, surpassing the previous mantle of 18 he shared with Silent Witness and Beauty Generation, dating back to when the professional era of Hong Kong racing commenced in 1971. Smashing a fine field of 10…

Pappacap (green silks), shown finishing second to Corniche in the Breeders' Cup Classic, is among the favorites for Saturday's Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, a 50-point qualifier for the Kentucky Derby. Photo by John Voorhees, Eclipse Sportswire, courtesy of Breeders' Cup Feb. 18 (UPI) -- This is the weekend when we find out if a few highly…

Ce Ce, shown winning the Azeri Stakes on March 12 at Oaklawn Park, is among the favorites for Saturday's Grade I Apple Blossom over the same track. Coady photography, courtesy of Oaklawn Park April 22 (UPI) -- As spring blossoms, horse racing stars including Letruska, Ce Ce, Pizza Bianca, Malathat and Channel Maker return from winter vacations this…

Partnered with jockey Blake Shinn for trainer Douglas Whyte, Russian Emperor savoured his second Group 1 success with a performance deserving of recognition as Hong Kong Champion Stayer (2021/22) after previously blitzing the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m/1m2f) and Golden Sixty in February. Returning to Australia at the conclusion of this…

Classic Causeway, shown winning the Sam F. Davis Stakes earlier in the meeting, is morning-line favorite for Saturday's Tampa Bay. SV Photography photo, courtesy of Tampa Bay Downs March 11 (UPI) -- With the Kentucky Derby picture still very much uncertain, Saturday's Tampa Bay Derby looms as a golden opportunity for one or more of the 3-year-olds…

With the 2019-20 season now behind us, the Post's annual Hong Kong racing awards return. With the likes of Douglas Whyte, Masami Matsuoka and Clement Legend collecting gongs last year, contenders have come thick and fast in an action-packed season. Without further adieu, the award winners for 2019-20 are: It is only fitting the four-time champion…

The weekly TRC industry digest - a round-up of the international racing news from the past week. Europe: David Elsworth, one of the UK's finest dual-purpose trainers, has brought the curtain down on a career spanning 50 years, which will remembered mainly for his handling of the great Desert Orchid, one of the most popular racehorses in British…