Beauty Generation Hangs Ten at Sha Tin

[Wandering Eyes]

Making his first start since completing a perfect eight-from-eight season in the G1 Champions Mile in April, two-time defending Hong Kong Horse of the Year and world’s top-rated miler Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}) made it 10 wins on the hop with a fairly straight-forward victory in Tuesday’s G3 Celebration Cup H. at Sha Tin. In defeating a pair of 2019 Classics contestants, Ka Ying Star (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) and Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), the 7-year-old was winning the Celebration Cup for the third straight year en route to what connections hope will be a three-peat in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile in December.

Despite tipping the scales some 12 pounds heavier than his last racecourse appearance and spotting some classy rivals up to 20 pounds, Beauty Generation was outfooted by Ka Ying Star and settled kindly for Zac Purton off his quarters. The seven-times Group 1 winner claimed the front runner with ease in upper stretch, pinched a break and began to tire in the waning strides, but had sealed the deal by then. The final time of 1:20.05 gave Beauty Generation a third Sha Tin track record–he also holds the fastest times for the mile and, remarkably, 2200m.

“That’s the first part of the mission accomplished!” trainer John Moore said. “With the tail-wind in the straight today I thought he’d have to break a track record to give so much weight away to the others and he did. Zac said he felt it in the last 50 metres, but that’s to be expected when you’re carrying 133 pounds and giving away so much weight.”

While a third Hong Kong Mile is the near-term objective, Moore and owner Patrick Kwok are squarely setting their sights on overseas targets this term.

“He’s the best in Hong Kong and he’s one of the best in the world,” Moore said. “They’ve got to come to beat him in December and if the owner agrees, we’ll take him to [the G1] Dubai [Turf] and prove him on the world stage. That’s definitely in my diary, if everything goes to plan up to then.”

Beauty Generation is penciled in for his next run in the G2 Sha Tin Trophy H. (1600m) Oct. 20 and will use November’s G2 Jockey Club Mile as his final prep for international day.

In the afternoon’s co-featured G3 National Day Cup H., Full of Beauty (Aus) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) overcame a slow and wayward dispatch and managed to grind out a no-cover, narrow first stakes success, besting the veteran Jolly Banner (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) and Wishful Thinker (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}).

“The horse just didn’t let us down,” explained winning rider Joao Moreira. “He didn’t really travel as well as we were expecting or hoping, but when he came under pressure, he started to make ground and close up. With 200 metres to go I knew I was already the winner.”

Tuesday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
CELEBRATION CUP H.-G3, HK$3,250,000 (£337,243/€378,833/A$613,054/US$414,507), Sha Tin, 10-1, 3yo/up, 1400mT, 1:20.05 (NCR), gd.
1–BEAUTY GENERATION (NZ), 133, g, 7, 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
(NZ$60,000 Ylg ’14 NZBJAN). O-Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen; B-Nearco Stud Ltd; T-John Moore; J-Zac Purton; HK$1,852,500. Lifetime Record: 2x Horse of the Year, 2x Ch. Miler & MG1SW-HK, G1SP-Aus, 31-18-3-4, HK$88,813,220. *Formerly Montaigne (NZ). Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
2–Ka Ying Star (GB), 113, g, 4, Cityscape (GB)–Casual Glance (GB), by Sinndar (Ire). O-Leung Shek Kong; B-Kingsclere Stud; T-Tony Cruz; J-Karis Teetan; HK$715,000.
3–Waikuku (Ire), 115, g, 4, Harbour Watch (Ire)–London Plane (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (€33,000 Ylg ’16 TISEP). O-Jocelyn Siu Yang Hin Ting; B-Riversfield Stud; T-John Size; J-Joao Moreira; HK$373,750.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, NK. Odds: 45-100, 12-1, 24-5.
Also Ran: Southern Legend (Aus), Furore (NZ), Nothingilikemore (Aus), Citron Spirit (Ire), Doctor Geoff (Ire), Winner’s Way (Aus), Dragon General (Aus).
Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

Tuesday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
NATIONAL DAY CUP H.-G3, HK$3,250,000 (£337,243/€378,833/A$613,054/US$414,507), Sha Tin, 10-1, 3yo/up, 1000mT, :55.16, gd.
1–FULL OF BEAUTY (AUS), 115, g, 5, by Darci Brahma (NZ)
1st Dam: Pennacchio (NZ) (MSW-Aus, GSP-NZ, $159,233), by Align (Aus)
2nd Dam: Abenzera (Aus), by Rory’s Jester (Aus)
3rd Dam: Libia, by Ringaro
1ST STAKES WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. (A$120,000 Ylg ’16 INGFEB). O-Beauty Family Syndicate; B-Nearco Stud Ltd (NSW); T-John Size; J-Joao Moreira; HK$1,852,500. Lifetime Record: 9-6-2-0, HK$7,489,000. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: C+.
2–Jolly Banner (Aus), 113, g, 8, Lonhro (Aus)–Valkyrie Diva (Aus), by Jade Robbery. (A$300,000 Ylg ’13 INGEAS). O-Mr & Mrs Kenny Cheng Tsin Ki; B-Makybe Racing & Breeding (Vic); T-Ricky Yiu; J-Matthew Poon; HK$715,000.
3–Wishful Thinker (Aus), 126, g, 6, I Am Invincible (Aus)–Zebithea (Aus), by Barathea (Ire). (A$80,000 Ylg ’15 MMMAR; A$120,000 RNA 2yo ’15 INGRTR). O-Ideal Brilliance Syndicate; B-J Davies (Qld); T-Richard Gibson; J-Blake Shinn; HK$373,750.
Margins: NK, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 7-5, 10-1, 59-10.
Also Ran: Gunnison (Aus), Little Giant (NZ), Rattan (NZ), Saul’s Special (Aus). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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