HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, March 25, 2020)

Golden Sixty closed from 11th through the stretch with a spectacular rally to win Sunday’s $2.57 million Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin Racecourse, completing a sweep of the circuit’s early-year Triple Crown for 4-year-olds.

Golden Sixty won the Hong Kong Classic Mile in January and the Hong Kong Classic Cup at 1 1/8 miles in February. He is the second horse to sweep the series, preceded by Rapper Dragon in 2017.

The 2020 Dubai World Cup card, scheduled for March 28, was canceled on Sunday by Dubai government officials.

A release from the government of Dubai media office announced what was translated into English as a postponement until next year, meaning there will be no 2020 World Cup. The United Emirates Racing season begins in the autumn and all but wraps up before the hottest months with the World Cup in late March.

Betting shops are closed and the grandstands are empty, but the turf flat season in Ireland is on.

Monday, a seven-race program at Naas Racecourse will launch a season that will provide much-needed action for European flat racing fans. Racing in the United Kingdom is suspended through April, while France will not race through April 14 because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Even as North American racetracks one by one cease racing this week in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, the Dubai World Cup card on March 28 appears likely to come off as scheduled.

William Buick will ride Mucho Gusto in the Dubai World Cup on March 28, trainer Bob Baffert said Thursday.

Mucho Gusto was fourth most recently in the Saudi Cup, following a victory in the Pegasus World Cup, both with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard. But Ortiz has chosen not to leave the country and fly to the United Arab Emirates next week owing to concerns of the coronavirus pandemic.

Buick won the World Cup in 2015 on Prince Bishop. His biggest win last year on the World Cup card came aboard Blue Point in the Al Quoz Sprint.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, March 22, 2020)

Farnan, the winner of two Group 2 stakes in the last month, can give trainer Gai Waterhouse a record seventh win in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill Gardens outside of Sydney, Australia, on Saturday.

If Farnan is successful, Waterhouse would surpass her father, Tommy Smith, as the winningest trainer in race history.

About the only thing keeping Farnan from being favored in the $2,012,500 Golden Slipper as of the middle of the week was a draw in post 14 in a field of 16. The race is restricted to Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds.

As 10 American horses settled in at Meydan Racecourse on Wednesday after shipping from the U.S., the Dubai Racing Club released a list of likely fields for the March 28 Dubai World Cup program.

In alphabetical order, the prospective starters for the $12 million World Cup are Benbatl, Chrysoberyl, Chuwa Wizard, Gold Dream, Gronkowski, Master Fencer, Math Wizard, Matterhorn, Mucho Gusto, Sir Winston, Tacitus, and War Story.

The $270,374 Begonia Handicap at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong on Wednesday could be a replay of the Blue Pool Handicap at the same venue on Feb. 26.

In the Blue Pool Handicap at six furlongs, Waldorf rallied from eighth to lead in the final strides, prevailing by a neck. Amazing Star set the pace, but could not sustain his advantage, fading to finish seventh by 2 1/2 lengths.