Hong Kong: Golden Sixty goes for 17th straight in Stewards Cup
There’s a sliver of a chance that were the Stewards Cup a handicap, if Golden Sixty had to give his rivals, say, 20 pounds, he might maybe, possibly be beatable.
But the Group 1, $1.54 million Stewards Cup is weight-for-age, all horses carrying 126 pounds, and it’s extremely difficult to imagine Golden Sixty not winning his 17th race in a row Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong.
Golden Sixty did struggle to win this race one year ago, coming out a head better than Southern Legend and going on to close out his season with two more narrow victories. His two wins this Hong Kong season, however, have been far more decisive. The most recent was a tour de force Dec. 12, when Golden Sixty won the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile by one length, defeating the strongest opposition, top to bottom, he’s ever met.
:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, analysis, replays, and live streaming
Golden Sixty, a 6-year-old (bred on Southern Hemisphere time) by Medaglia d’Oro out of Gaudeamus, by Distorted Humor, already is one the best horses ever to race in Hong Kong, a winner in 19 of his 20 starts who has breathtaking acceleration and the ability to sustain a powerful run. He’s easily Hong Kong’s top-rated horse and will be a desperately short-priced favorite against six rivals, none of whom can match Golden Sixty’s late stride on his day. Vincent Ho, as usual, rides for trainer Francis Lui.
Golden Sixty commands all the attention but the Group 1, $1,54 million Centenary Sprint Cup over 1,200 meters nominally shares top billing on this 10-race program. The Sprint Cup, also weight for age, drew a far more competitive field of eight. Six of the entrants exit the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint on Dec. 12, a race marred by a four-horse accident coming off the far turn that totally changed the contest’s complexion. Sky Field, co-top rated in the Centenary Sprint, was the Hong Kong Sprint winner but likely has no substantive edge on a few opponents.
Hot King Prawn makes his third start this season and will have Zac Purton -- who went down and was injured in the Hong Kong Sprint crash -- aboard him for the first time since 2018. Hot King Prawn has been through significant injury and recovery and at 7 is not the same horse he once was, but his second start for trainer John Size during the 2021-22 racing season looked better than his first. Hot King Prawn finished third in the 2020 Centenary Sprint and won last year’s renewal.
One of Hong Kong’s more exciting younger horses, Master Eight, makes his Group 1 debut in the Centenary Sprint. Master Eight, an Australian-bred 4-year-old trained by Frankie Lor, is unbeaten in five career starts and has risen in three outings this season from Class 3 handicap competition to win at the Group 3 level last out. The gelding is talented, quick, and tactically versatile, but regular rider Joao Moreira opts for Courier Wonder, a definite win threat himself, and Master Eight gets no weight despite being rated only 101, 20 points lower than the highest-rated runners.
First post for this card is midnight Eastern and you can catch all the action at DRFBets.com.
