Beauty Generation seeks seventh consecutive triumph

Three $1.25 million races, including two with Group 1 status, highlight a 10-race program at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on Sunday.

Beauty Generation, the Hong Kong Horse of the Year for the 2017-18 season, will be heavily favored to win his seventh consecutive race in the Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup at seven furlongs on turf.

Trained by John Moore, Beauty Generation won the Group 1 Stewards’ Cup for turf milers on Jan. 20 in his first start of the calendar year. Beauty Generation won the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile in December, and is unbeaten in five starts since the current Hong Kong season began in September.

Beauty Generation, who will be ridden by Zac Purton, is part of a strong field of 10 in the Jubilee Cup, which includes Beat the Clock, who won the Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup at six furlongs on Jan. 20.

John Size trains Beat the Clock and also starts Conte, who was second by three lengths to Beauty Generation in the Jubilee Cup in his Group 1 debut. European star jockey Ryan Moore rides Conte for the first time Sunday.

Purton rides expected favorite Exultant in Sunday’s Group 1 Hong Kong Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles on turf. Trained by Tony Cruz, Exultant has won his last two starts in group stakes, including the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase at 1 1/2 miles against an international field in December.

Cruz has a strong team of runners in the Hong Kong Gold Cup, which drew a field of 11, including the Group 1 winners Pakistan Star and Time Warp. Pakistan Star won consecutive Group 1 races last April and May. Time Warp won the Hong Kong Gold Cup in 2018, and has one win in eight subsequent starts.

Exultant won the Group 3 Centenary Vase Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Sha Tin on Jan. 27 in his first start of 2019. Time Warp faded from the front to finish last of nine in that field. Pakistan Star was fourth behind Beauty Generation in the Stewards’ Cup.

The final seven-figure race of the day is the $1.25 million Hong Kong Classic Cup for 4-year-olds, a prep for the Hong Kong Derby on March 17. Furore, who won the $1.25 million Hong Kong Classic Mile on Jan. 27, figures to go favored.

Furore will be ridden by Hugh Bowman, who was aboard Winx for her 30th consecutive win in Saturday’s Group 2 Apollo Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. Bowman has five mounts on Sunday’s program.

Furore is trained by Frankie Lor, who also starts Dark Dream, the fourth-place finisher in the Hong Kong Classic Mile. Dark Dream was beaten 2 3/4 lengths in the Hong Kong Classic Mile and was found to have sustained a cut on a leg in the race.

The Hong Kong Classic Cup will be a class test for Red Warrior, who won a minor handicap at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Happy Valley Racecourse on Jan. 30, his third win in seven starts at the current Hong Kong season.