Beauty Generation has first training race

Beauty Generation, twice Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year, took a major step toward his seasonal debut in a five-furlong barrier trial, or training race, on Tuesday at Sha Tin.

Beauty Generation is now trained by David Hayes after trainer John Moore hit mandatory retirement age, but regular rider Zac Purton was in the irons Tuesday as Beauty Generation strolled through 1,000 meters in 57.14 seconds. Beauty Generation finished near the back of the field while never asked for run, and the primary portion of the exercise came just before the finish line and during the gallop-out, where Beauty Generation quickly and effortlessly zoomed to the lead in what appeared to be a useful trial.

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Purton told Hong Kong Jockey Club publicity that Beauty Generation felt like his old self, and Hayes confirmed the gelding’s target comeback race remains the Group 3 Celebration Cup over 1,400 meters on Sept. 27.

Sky Field flies high in season’s debut

Sky Field ended his 2019-20 Hong Kong season with an excellent four-length win in the Class 4 ranks and began his 2020-21 campaign Sunday at Sha Tin with an eye-catching Class 3 handicap win. Sky Field was bottled up in traffic until about the 200-meter mark of 1,200-meter race, finally found daylight under Joao Moreira, and unleashed an elite-looking turn of foot to cruise to an easy victory.

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The 4-year-old Australian-bred son of Deep Field has raced only four times, and if his development continues, he’ll be a major player in the 4-year-old championship series later this season.