'I'm nothing without him' - fan favourite Golden Sixty at it again as he motors home in Champions Mile

Golden Sixty provided the jubilant highlight at Sha Tin by winning the FWD Champions Mile for an unprecedented third time as the home team pulled off a clean sweep in the three Group 1 races.

The pride of Hong Kong racing was the star attraction as around 55,000 racegoers packed into the racecourse and he did not disappoint.

Extending his record to 25 wins from 29 starts – a run that includes a 16-race unbeaten streak and nine wins at the highest level – Golden Sixty asserted his dominance in the home straight under Vincent Ho to the delight of an ecstatic crowd.

Ho, the only jockey to have ridden Golden Sixty, said: "Thank you to all the racing fans. I'm really grateful to be on this horse. He's such a superstar. I'm very happy for him. He looks around and enjoys the crowd – it's his home turf.

"I told myself before the race to try to enjoy every moment with Golden Sixty because he's seven now. We don't know when he'll retire, so it's best to enjoy every step with him. I'm nothing without him, so all the credit goes to him."

No horse trained in Hong Kong has won more prize-money than Golden Sixty, who appears more likely to be saved for the next domestic season rather than heading to Japan.

Trainer Francis Lui said: "He's such a good horse and a fighter. We've given him a little bit longer time in between his races.

"It's very hard to decide his future. In Japan it's anticlockwise and the weather at that time is quite hot. The International Races is the plan again for next season. He's getting older and takes a little bit more time to recover."  

Romantic Warrior: big win for the five-year-oldCredit: Hkjc

Ultimate Warrior

If Golden Sixty's greatness needed any further validation, it duly arrived in the following race when Romantic Warrior recorded back-to-back wins in the QEII Cup.

Vanquished by Golden Sixty in the Stewards' Cup and Hong Kong Gold Cup on his last two starts, Romantic Warrior returned to winning ways with a tenth success in 13 starts.

British contender Dubai Honour finished third in his bid for a third straight Group 1 following a double strike in Australia, but this was all about another local hero.

Romantic Warrior was bought in Newmarket as a yearling in 2019 by Mick Kinane, successful in the QEII Cup as a jockey, and has been a revelation for trainer Danny Shum.

Jockey James McDonald said: "That was superb – how good are the Hong Kong horses? They're flying today. It was great to be on him and he put in a performance like he did in December. It was a spectacular performance and there was not one part of the race I thought he was not right. He's a world-class horse."

Trainer William Haggas felt conditions were not in Dubai Honour's favour.  

"I'm not using it as an excuse but the ground was a bit tight for him," he said. "The ground is not rock-hard, but it's quick enough and gives the local horses and Asian horses an advantage. 

"He's performed well and I don't think he would have beat the winner under any circumstances, but he's run a very solid race confirming his improvement.

"He'll have a holiday first and then we'll have a regroup, but he's been fantastic recently and I see no reason why we can't do that again next year." 

Lucky Sweynesse is all class in the hands of Zac Purton

Lucky Sweynesse confirms 'sprint king' status

Hong Kong's best sprinter Lucky Sweynesse showed his potential to be a world leader with a totally dominant performance in the Chairman's Sprint Prize.  

Lucky Sweynesse put on an exhibition under Zac Purton as he cruised to his fifth straight success to add to other Group 1s wins this year in the Centenary Sprint Cup and Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup as British hope Flaming Rib beat one rival home in seventh.

Purton, soon to be crowned Hong Kong champion jockey for a sixth time, said: "He's just getting better. I'm going to have a lot of fun with him next season. He was very good and is clearly the new sprint king in Hong Kong." 

Lucky Sweynesse's presence at Royal Ascot would be a boon for the summer showpiece, but trainer Manfred Man said future plans had yet to be decided with options over a mile also likely to be considered.

However, the royal meeting is very much on the cards for Flaming Rib, who was second in last year's Commonwealth Cup.

Trainer Hugo Palmer, who saw former inmate Reward Smile win earlier on the card on his Hong Kong debut, said: "The sprinters over here are very, very good and they know this track. Tom [Marquand] said he was flat out all the way, but I don't think it will do the horse any harm. 

"Blue Point came out here [in 2018] and didn't beat one and he still went and won at Royal Ascot, so we'll take him home, take stock and head for the Platinum Jubilee. The six furlongs, where you can get in a breather, suits him better than going so hard."

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