Hong Kong: Golden Sixty looks to bounce back in Chairman's Trophy

For two whole seasons and through his emphatic victory Dec. 12 in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile the talk always was about Golden Sixty’s winning streak.

Now, for the first time in his career, Golden Sixty comes into a race having suffered two straight defeats, but there’s every reason to believe Golden Sixty can get back into the win column Sunday at Sha Tin in the Group 2, $606,000 Chairman’s Trophy.

Golden Sixty’s 16-race win streak was snapped Jan. 23 when he finished second, beaten three-quarters of a length in the Group 1 Stewards Cup, run over the same distance, 1,600 meters (about one mile) as Sunday’s contest. Chalk that loss up to pilot error, as jockey Vincent Ho himself subsequently conceded.

Golden Sixty broke sharply from the rail in the Stewards Cup, but connections apparently have a strong belief that the gelding needs to be taken far off the pace to show his best. Granted, the only time during his career Golden Sixty was permitted to race close to the front was the one race among his first 17 that he lost. But that was no excuse for the huge hold Ho took in the Stewards Cup, Golden Sixty’s mouth gaping open as he pulled for his head while the pacesetters went off at a slow tempo down the backstretch and around the turn. Approaching the 500-meter mark, Ho pulled Golden Sixty off the rail for a wide rally just as a vast swath of room opened along the inside, and while Golden Sixty ran his last 400 meters in 21.95 seconds, .38 of a second faster than anyone else in the race, Waikuku had gotten a huge jump and posted the upset.

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The most recent loss, Feb. 20 in the Group 1 Hong Kong Gold Cup, had more to do with circumstances than tactics. The Gold Cup is a 2,000-meter race, likely farther than Golden Sixty’s ideal trip, and persistent rain in the days leading to the race turned the Sha Tin course yielding. Golden Sixty does better racing on top of the ground than sinking into it, and after breaking from post 10 with a short run to the first of two turns, Golden Sixty dropped to the tail of the field. Once again, he posted the race’s fastest final 400 meters, but the fact it took Golden Sixty 25.41 to cover the distance shows just how slow the course had become that afternoon. Golden Sixty managed a distant third, a defeat easier to take than the one that ended his streak.

There’s no good evidence suggesting that Golden Sixty, now 19-1-1 from 22 starts, has lost anything from his peak, and if that’s the case, and he is given a fair shake Sunday, he’ll win the Chairman’s Trophy. It was raining Friday in Hong Kong with more precipitation forecast Saturday, but clear skies should prevail Sunday, drying the course enough that it’s not radically soft. Golden Sixty drew post 1 and after a short freshening following the Gold Cup has gotten back onto a regular schedule for trainer Francis Lui. Golden Sixty and two other entrants who have won a Group 1 race within the last year carry 128 pounds, the other nine runners 123.

Waikuku also starts in the Chairman’s Trophy, but while he’s a fine miler in his own right, he beat Golden Sixty sheerly on the trip in January and can’t contain him in a fair fight. Russian Emperor is the other horse toting 128 pounds, his Group 1 success having just come in the Gold Cup. That race’s 2,000-meter trip works better for Russian Emperor than 1,600 meters, though he was a solid enough third in the Stewards Cup.

Co-featured on the card – while lacking star power like Golden Sixty – is the Group 2, $633,000 Sprint Cup over 1,200 meters, about six furlongs. The Sprint Cup drew nine entrants, with Wellington top rated among them. Wellington exits a win in the Group 1 Queen’s Jubilee over 1,400 meters, and while he has proven equally effective over this shorter trip, it’s worth noting Wellington was fifth in this race a year ago before moving forward to capture the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize later in April.

Stronger has won just three times in his 24-start Hong Kong career, his most recent tally an upset score Jan. 23 in the Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup. Stronger finished a solid second in this race a year ago and, as was the case during his 2020-21 campaign, appears to be getting … stronger … as the Hong Kong season goes along.

Master Eight merits consideration. After winning his first five starts, Master Eight struggled in his first try at the Group 1 level, finishing seventh in the Centenary Sprint Cup while racing at level weights. He came back to finish third, beaten a narrow margin, in a Class 1 handicap March 12 and has more room to improve after just seven career starts than do any of his rivals Sunday.

First post for the nine-race card is 12:45 a.m. Eastern. You can catch all the action and make your wagers at DRFBets.com.