Just too good: world's top miler Beauty Generation eases to victory at Sha Tin
Beauty Generation sauntered to his sixth Group 1 success in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday, extending an unbeaten record which stretches back to April last year.
Ridden by Zac Purton, Beauty Generation made most of the running and powered clear to win by a length and three-quarters from Beat The Clock and the Ryan Moore-ridden Conte.
The John Moore-trained six-year-old, who has now earned more than £7 million in prize-money, is set to defend his Champions Mile crown in April.
Moore said: "It was just a repeat of what he’s been doing all season. The little bit of hype around a couple of the other horses was fair, but he just keeps doing it. He needed only one slap around the backside to get him to accelerate.
"It was another great ride by Zac; before the home turn you could see he was saying, 'Now I’m putting the revs up and you’ve got to chase me'.
"The horse is just too good and Zac’s the composite horseman, he knows exactly what’s going on."
Owner Patrick Kwok added: “First things first, we are focused on the Champions Mile. After the Champions Mile we’ll decide whether to go to Japan for the Yasuda Kinen.
"We’ll look at his health and wellbeing. It’s very difficult to go to Japan and it seems to not favour front-runners, but if he goes we’ll be trying our best."
He added: "It’s such a rare opportunity to have a horse like this, so if we can have another season like this season, we’d take that."
With Winx bagging her 30th consecutive victory the day before, there were victories for the two highest-rated horses still in training this weekend.
Winx was allotted 130 on the 2018 International Classifications, and Beauty Generation 127. Cracksman (130), Accelerate (128), Gun Runner and Roaring Lion (both 127) are all now retired.
Purton, meanwhile, completed a Group 1 double when winning the Hong Kong Gold Cup on Exultant, giving trainer Tony Cruz his fifth success in the race.
The winner finished third behind Churchill in the 2017 Irish 2,000 Guineas, when called Irishcorrespondent and trained by Michael Halford.
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