A ‘Ho’-megrown Classics Sweep

[Wandering Eyes]

by Alan Carasso

A little more than 11 years ago while he was in his late teens, Vincent Ho sought out autographs from the likes of Christophe Soumillion while on weighing room duty at the International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley Racecourse. The leading local apprentice rider in 2011, Ho scaled the heights Sunday afternoon, becoming the first ‘homegrown’ rider to win the BMW Hong Kong Derby since Tony Cruz fully a quarter-century ago, as he conjured up a slashing finish from the once-beaten Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d’Oro) to land the domestic centrepiece. The Queensland-bred gelding stopped the clock in stakes-record time of 2:00.15 to become just the second horse to sweep all three legs of the 4YO Classics.

“It’s an amazing feeling to win all the 4-year-old Classics and he’s a superstar for sure; I think today, especially, it was very difficult to come from behind and sprint like that,” the soft-spoken Ho told the HKJC’s David Morgan. “It’s such an amazing feeling, my first Derby on a horse that I love so much and he’s such a good horse.”

It was also a first Derby for trainer Francis Lui, himself a graduate of the Apprentice Jockeys’ School, and in the midst of a career-defining season in his 25th year as a professional trainer in Hong Kong.

“It’s not easy,” he said. “I’m very happy–I have to say thank you to my stable team.”

The raging $1.75 (4-3 on) favourite to add the Derby to the Classic Mile and Classic Cup was allowed to drift back through the field and settled about fourth-last passing the trainer’s stand, as Classic Cup runner-up Champion’s Way (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) galloped them along at a decent, if not break-neck, early clip. The complexion of the Derby was altered dramatically when Playa Del Puente (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}), who many thought would race prominently from his high draw, was audaciously sent around the field by Blake Shinn from last with a little better than a half-mile to race to take the race by its throat as the pace slackened noticeably. Many of those immediately behind were off the bridle to pick up, but not Golden Sixty, who was momentarily shuffled back all the way to last before traveling into it strongly with cover as they neared the straight.

Ho never panicked, even as Playa Del Puente went further clear, pulling his mount out and around Columbus County (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) with time ticking away. Golden Sixty managed to sustain his relentless rally, covering his final 400 metres in a wicked :21.83 to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The winner’s stablemate More Than This (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) finished an excuse-free third.

“I wasn’t too worried,” Ho said. “I know my horse can produce a really good turn-of-foot and he relaxed really well for me through the race. When I saw the winning post, I knew I should be able to get him, as long as the other horse didn’t accelerate again.

Shinn reflected on his roll of the dice that nearly resulted in one of the greatest upsets in Derby history.

“We left nothing to chance and put everything on the table when they slowed mid-race, we put it to the rest of the field,” he said. “I knew my horse had a lot of stamina and I had confidence taking off that he would keep going–he did that, he was there for me, he just got beat by a superstar horse on the rise.”

Lui said Golden Sixty would be considered for the G1 FWD Champions Mile or the G1 FWD QE II Cup (2000m) Apr. 26.

Pedigree Notes:

Golden Sixty is bred on the cross of Medaglia d’Oro over mares by sire sons of Forty Niner which has yielded the likes of US Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra (out of a daughter of Roar), champion Songbird and other 10-furlong Grade I winners Elate and New Money Honey (each o/o a Distorted Humor dam). His deeper female family includes the likes of champions Bosra Sham and Hector Protector and MG1/GISW Ciro.

Gaudeamus, a $60,000 purchase out of the 2005 Keeneland September sale, was conditioned by Jim Bolger to win the 2006 G2 Debutante S. at Leopardstown. Exported to Australia, she produced her first foal in 2008 and was acquired with Golden Sixty in utero by Josh Hutchins Bloodstock for A$160,000 at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. She was subsequently bought in for A$75,000 when in foal to Choisir (Aus) at the National Broodmare Sale in 2017.

Gaudeamus, whose current 3-year-old son Quiet Riot (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (A$200,000 Gold Cost yearling) graduated on Warwick Farm debut in January for Bjorn Baker, is the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Choisir (Aus) (A$150,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling); and a weanling filly by G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Capitalist (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}). Gaudeamus was most recently bred to Trapeze Artist (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) on a Nov. 18 cover date, but did not get in foal.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
BMW HONG KONG DERBY 2020-LR, HK$20,000,000 (£2,213,341/€2,398,419/A$4,456,238/US$2,578,566), Sha Tin, 3-22, 4yo, 2000mT, 2:00.15 (NSR), gd/fm.
1–GOLDEN SIXTY (AUS), 126, g, 4, by Medaglia d’Oro
1st Dam: Gaudeamus (GSW-Ire, $179,846), by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Leo’s Lucky Lady, by Seattle Slew
3rd Dam: Konafa, by Damascus
(A$120,000 Ylg ’17 MMGCYS; NZ$300,000 2yo ’17 NZBRTR). O-Stanley Chan Ka Leung; B-Asco International Pty Ltd (Qld); T-Francis Lui; J-Vincent Ho; HK$11,400,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-HK, 11-10-0-0, HK$31,470,600. *1/2 to Igitur (Aus) (Helmet {Aus}), SP-Aus, $118,274.
2–Playa Del Puente (Ire), 126, g, 4, Elzaam (Aus)–Playamongthestars (Aus), by Galileo (Ire). (€27,000 Wlg ’16 GOFNOV; €40,000 Ylg ’17 TISEP). O-Huang Kai Wen; B-Dermot Kelly; T-Danny Shum; J-Blake Shinn; HK$4,400,000.
3–More Than This (GB), 126, g, 4, Dutch Art (GB)–Striving (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (40,000gns Ylg ’17 TATOCT). O-Huang Kai Wen; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd; T-Francis Lui; J-Zac Purton; HK$2,000,000.
Margins: NK, 3, 1. Odds: 3-4, 289-1, 23-10.
Also Ran: Savvy Nine (Fr), Reliable Team (NZ), Butterfield (Brz), Decrypt (GB), Amazing Beats (Aus), Columbus County (NZ), Super Oasis (NZ), Champion’s Way (Aus), Star Performance (NZ), Private Secretary (GB), World Famous (Fr). Scracthed: Hello Daddy (NZ), Champion Supreme (Aus).
Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO.

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