Beauty Generation wins eighth straight in Chairman's Trophy

Beauty Generation scored a measured 1 1/4-length win Sunday at Sha Tin in the Group 2, $541,000 Chairman’s Trophy keeping his perfect season alive while winning his eighth straight start.

Beauty Generation’s winning streak began last spring in the Group 1 Champions Mile, and Sunday’s start, as much as anything, was a prep for a repeat bid in that race. Beauty Generation’s task was made easier by a paucity of pace rivals, permitting jockey Zac Purton to set below-standard splits the entire trip. Purton hand-rode Beauty Generation to the line, the Hong Kong champion stopping the timer in 1:33.26 for the 1600-meter, one-turn turf race while rocketing home in 22.46 seconds.

Trained by John Moore for Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen, Beauty Generation (called Montaigne before being imported to Hong Kong) is a 6-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding by Road to Rock out of Stylish Bel, by Bel Esprit. Beauty Generation, who carried 128 pounds Sunday, five more than all his rivals save Pakistan Star, now has won six Group 1's and rates as one of the best Hong Kong horses ever.

Moore swept the exacta in the Chairman’s Trophy as Eagle Way rallied strongly from eighth to finish second, a half-length better than Pakistan Star, who also turned in a creditable effort while making his first start for trainer Paul O’Sullivan.

Earlier on the card, Rattan posted an upset in the Group 2, $541,000 Sprint Cup, closing outside heavy favorites Beat the Clock and Mr Stunning to win by a neck. Beat the Clock was second, a head in front of Mr Stunning as the winner clocked 1:08.14 for 1200 meters on good ground.

Rattan, Chad Schofield riding for trainer Richard Gibson, was the very early leader in the Sprint Cup before Mr Stunning supplanted him and set an easy pace. Beat the Clock eased up two paths off the fence around the turn to reach contention and made a sustained bid at Mr Stunning through the upper and middle homestretch, but it was Rattan, switching from the rail to the outside at the top of the straight, who finished best to tag both horses.

Rattan, who got a five-pound weight break, is a 5-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding by Savabeel out of Grand Princess, by Last Tycoon. He began the Hong Kong season a class 2 handicapper but has improved steadily, scoring the best win of his career Sunday while racing for the first time in blinkers.