Waikuku stunned the Hong Kong racing world on January 23 at Sha Tin Racecourse, ending a streak of 16 races won by Sixty gold with a 3/4-length win at the Stewards’ Cup (G1).
Golden Sixty, the reigning Horse of the Year Hong Kong, has dominated its local rivals for more than two years and successfully driven out leading foreign invaders during its long reign. But when he was knocked out by rider Vincent Ho to catch Waikuku in the final 200 meters of the Management Cup, he missed the punch that had served him so well.
Streak is over! @zpurton do a master class on top of Waikuku to reject the Golden Sixty in the Stewards’ Cup. #HKracing pic.twitter.com/m5FdeZXczF
– HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 23, 2022
The champion is winning when the finish line appears but never seems to be in danger of finishing in time. He’s in second place, three quarters the length first czar . Silent witness Still reigning supreme in Hong Kong, his record of 17 consecutive wins remains the standard.
This time around, the Golden Sixty appeared to be working near the rear of the herd descending the vertical river as the speed slowed, then slowed again. He kicked in when Ho noticed he had space outside of opponents rushing into the box but, at that point, Zac Purton gave Waikuku the lead and he wasn’t to catch.
The final time for 1,600 meters (about a mile) was 1:34.82.
The silence welcomes sadness because the restrictions of the pandemic leave the Sha Tin stand without fans. Even if the massive facilities were packed, there would have been a stunned silence anyway.
“I’m really pleased with the way the race is running. I’m in a lovely rhythm and I know he’s going to give me a spot. But with the Golden Sixty in the race, you never go home until when you pass the milestone,” said Purton, who is chasing Joao Moreira in the Hong Kong horse racing rankings, following his dismissal with a mid-season injury.
“He’s run a lot of horses over the last few years,” Purton said of the Golden Sixty. “He’s a champion and obviously the race wasn’t right for him today.”
Golden Sixty’s coach, Francis Lui, said an inside draw combined with a slow pace mid-race combined with his champion.
“The horse is fine. It seems to have pulled well,” Lui said. “It was just a draw. The track was done, he needed to be closer, but, from the inside, it couldn’t be today.”
Waikuku, a 7 year old child Harbor Watch gelding, began his career in Ireland with coach John Oxx before moving to Hong Kong, where John Size facilitated him with Jocelyn Siu Yang Hin Ting. He scored his eighth win in Hong Kong and has a nice resume of his own, including a win at the 2020 Hostess Cup, with Beauty generation 2nd place and the 2021 Queen’s Silver Cup (G1). He finished second in the 2019 BMW Hong Kong Derby.
Lui said options for the Golden Sixty now include the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Trophy at 1,400 meters (about seven feathers) or defending her crown in the Hong Kong Citi Gold Cup (G1) in reverse. for a journey of 2,000 meters (about a quarter of a mile). Both races take place on February 20. There has been talk of a trip abroad, possibly to Japan, later this year.
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Stronger Keep Out of Sky Field
In the Centenary Sprint Cup (G1) featured bronze of the day, Stronger fight with Sky Field, won by head after 1,200 meters (about six ropes) in 1:08.78. Hot king shrimp was chased after some traffic problems at the top of the lane but was only able to finish third, the remaining half of the road in arrears.
Stronger (inside) against Sky Field in Centenary Sprint Cup
Sky Field was last seen winning the Longines Hong Kong Sprint (G1) which broke down in December – a race in which Stronger finished fifth with some damage to one leg.
Coach Douglas Whyte said: “Stronger came out of that International run with significant injuries. “He was lucky to get out of the injuries he had but he got through it and we sent him to Conghua for a while and brought him back and tested and got his confidence back. his.
“Since that trial, he hasn’t misplaced a foot.”
The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s massive new training and racing facility in Conghua, China, is specially designed and qualified for the treatment and rehabilitation of injuries.
Stronger, a 5 year old child by Not a single doubt , not only ending a lengthy winless streak but also providing solace for his group 1 driver, Ho, and a first group 1 winner for coach Whyte, the 13-time Hong Kong driver. champion. He is owned by Cheung Hon Kit, Joanna Cheung Wai Sze and Jonathan Cheung Yu Shing.
“His testing last week he said he was going to come in great shape, but I tell you, today was the longest 400 meters of my life so far,” Whyte said of running track. “Look, he’s vulnerable. But he dug deep and that’s all that matters.
“It’s a very long distance of 400 meters.”
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