The World Awaits Beauty Generation

[Wandering Eyes]

HONG KONG — Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}), recently recognized as the top-rated miler in the world in the most recent Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, enhanced his already-lofty reputation Sunday at Sha Tin, successfully defending his title in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile with a highly impressive three-length defeat of the swan-songing former G1 Dubai Turf victrix Vivlos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Southern Legend (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) ran home well for third.

Drawn two from the outside, Beauty Generation was outsprinted early by Nothingilikemore (Aus) (Husson {Arg}), but ultimately overtook that one, only to once again cede the lead, this time to the Chris Waller-trained Comin’ Through (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who speared through to take it up midway down the backstretch. With Zac Purton supremely confident in the saddle and in no hurry whatsoever, Beauty Generation gradually made his way back towards the head of affairs and was in front for good passing the 1000m. Going in an even rhythm on the circle, Beauty Generation broke clear in upper stretch and drifted out towards the middle of the track into the final furlong, but had the race in safe keeping and won as much the best. Beauty Only (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), ridden by Purton to win the 2016 Mile, missed the break and came home nicely to grab fourth money for the Kwok family.

“His best attribute is he has got a very high cruising speed, he’s very comfortable rolling along at that speed and he can kick off it,” said Purton. “For the horses back in the field they’re already struggling to go the pace and when you’ve got to try and reel him in, it’s not an easy thing to do.”

Purchased to race in Hong Kong as a Derby prospect, Beauty Generation was third to his ill-fated stablemate Rapper Dragon (Aus) (Street Boss) in the Derby, but has undergone a dramatic transformation as a miler. Winner of last year’s Mile in front-running fashion, he added the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup and G1 Champions Mile to earn Horse of the Year honors. Imperious in four previous tries this year, he was exiting a had-to-see-it-to-believe it defeat of Southern Legend in the G2 Jockey Club Mile Nov. 18, where he drifted out late owing to some foot issuess, but nevertheless won with authority.

“Obviously he had a little bit of a setback and with the feet issues going into his last run when he ran off the track,” Purton added. “You never want those things going into a Group 1 race so they do play on your mind a little bit. But once I worked him late this week and he felt good in his work, John Moore asked me to come in yesterday morning to give him a canter on the big track. When I got off him I felt pretty relaxed and I slept pretty well last night.”

Moore will now consider some overseas targets for Beauty Generation and nominated the Dubai Turf as a future objective, assuming he can convince the horse’s somewhat reluctant ownership.

“If we’re going to prove him we’re going to have to do it on the world stage: We’ve done it here; home ground; that’s the advantage; he’s done it easily,” the conditioner commented.

But it may not be that straight-forward.

“The owner and his father are of the opinion that they don’t come back the same horse when they travel, but I’m trying to convince them that that’s not the case with the way that I travel my horses,” Moore said. “There’s a few little tricks there to make sure. I’ve won the Shaheen and had a few placings over there. I know the venue very well and I believe he could travel. If everything goes to plan, he could win there.”

Pedigree Notes:

Beauty Generation is one of two foals from his dam to make the races and is kin to a Oct. 13-foaled filly by Tavistock (NZ) that is cataloged as lot 443 during Book 1 of the 2019 NZB Karaka Yearling Sales. Stylish Bel was most recently covered by Tavistock’s G1 Rosehill Guineas and G1 VRC Derby winner Tarzino (NZ), who stands at Westbury Stud.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
LONGINES HONG KONG MILE-G1, HK$25,000,000 (£2,305,519/€2,597,133/A$4,022,811/US$2,939,445), Sha Tin, 12-9, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:33.52, gd.
1–BEAUTY GENERATION (NZ), 126, g, 6, by Road to Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: Stylish Bel (Aus), by Bel Esprit (Aus)
2nd Dam: Stylish Victory (Aus), by Durham Ranger
3rd Dam: Romantic Peace (Aus), by Mikado (Aus)
(NZ$60,000 Ylg ’14 NZBSEL). O-Patrick Kwon Ho Chuen; B-Nearco Stud Ltd; T-John Moore; J-Zac Purton; HK$14,250,000. Lifetime Record: Horse of the Year & Ch. Miler-HK, G1SP-Aus, 26-13-3-4, HK$62,878,220. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
2–Vivlos (Jpn), 122, m, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Halwa Sweet (Jpn), by Machiavellian. O-Kazuhiro Sazaki; B-Northern Farm; T-Y Tomomichi; J-William Buick; HK$5,500,000.
3–Southern Legend (Aus), 126, g, 6, Not A Single Doubt (Aus)–Donna’s Appeal (Aus), by Carnegie (Ire). (A$280,000 Ylg ’14 INGEAS). O-Boniface Ho Ka Kui; B-Corumbene Stud (NSW); T-Caspar Fownes; J-Douglas Whyte; HK$2,500,000.
Margins: 3, NK, HF. Odds: 1-2, 57-1, 39-1.
Also Ran: Beauty Only (Ire), Persian Knight (Jpn), Nothingilikemore (Aus), Mozu Ascot, One Master (GB), Singapore Sling (SAf), Fifty Fifty (NZ), Beat the Bank (GB), Comin’ Through (Aus), What Else But You (Aus), Inns of Court (Ire).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

View the full article