Rapturous applause greeted Golden Sixty on Sunday as Hong Kong’s greatest ever racehorse made his way around a packed-out Sha Tin parade ring for the final time.
Farewell ceremonies are not renowned for being the most exhilarating affairs at Sha Tin, but even the most hardened punters couldn’t help but join the cheering and shouting as Hong Kong’s golden boy sailed off into the sunset.
A winner of 26 races and over HK$167 million in prize money, Golden Sixty was led around the parade ring by trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai, with partner in crime Vincent Ho Chak-yiu in the saddle.
Hordes of fans flocked to the racecourse to wave goodbye to the three-time Horse of the Year, with Golden Sixty-themed T-shirts, scarves, flags and artwork filling the stands.
Golden Sixty’s owner, Stanley Chan Ka-leung, was presented with a lifetime achievement award.
“It was brilliant,” Chan said. “It’s difficult to put it into words. I wish him a happy and healthy retirement life and I will go to visit him often.”
The decision to have the ceremony in the parade ring rather than give Golden Sixty a spin on the turf paid dividends, as fans rushed to escape the wet and windy conditions and see the magnificent miler.
There was also a display commemorating each of Golden Sixty’s 10 Group One wins near the parade ring and a mural celebrating the galloper.
If John Size is trying to keep a lid on his expectations for the up-and-coming Wunderbar, the sprinter did him no favours with a promising first-up victory after a lengthy break at Sha Tin on Sunday.
A four-time winner from five starts last term, Wunderbar hadn’t been seen since January 21 but brushed aside a 245-day absence to make all under Zac Purton in the Class Three Tailorbird Handicap (1,200m).
The $1.55 favourite, who suffered an injury after his last start and required surgery to remove a bone fragment, dictated proceedings from gate two and finished half a length clear of Lucy In The Sky, with Captain Win a further half-length back in third.
The son of Rich Enuff had only raced on a good track before Sunday’s contest, but handled the yielding ground with relative ease.
“He’s a quality horse,” Purton said. “He had to be to do what he did today, carrying top weight [134 pounds] on a soft track and first up after eight months.”
After assuming the lead from gate two, Wunderbar set reasonable fractions over the first 800m and turned for home with a length advantage.
He travelled powerfully under Purton and responded to the champion jockey’s urgings to keep on well in the closing stages.
He covered the final 400m around two and a half lengths slower than standard time and stopped the clock in 1:09.65, six-tenths of a second outside standard.
Wunderbar’s reappearance was highly anticipated after the galloper got the better of rising star, Ka Ying Rising, twice last season, while his sole defeat came at the hands of Mugen.
Considering Ka Ying Rising now boasts a rating of 119 and Mugen is set to contest the Group One Sprinters Stakes (1,200m) in Japan next Sunday, Wunderbar’s win came as no surprise to Size.
“He looked good, didn’t he?” Size said after his first win of the season. “It was a good effort after eight months off.
“I think that his record last season says that he’s going to improve and he looked like he had a class on them, so that’s all we can expect. We’ll have a look and see what’s on for him next.”
David Hayes continued his impressive early-season form and moved to the top of the trainers’ championship thanks to the victories of Master Mastermind and Harmony N Blessed on Sunday.
Master Mastermind had been beaten at short odds in his five career starts but got off the mark under Hugh Bowman in the Class Four Swallow Handicap (1,400m).
“Last start he had a bad barrier and ran a really good race,” Hayes said. “This time he got a good barrier and Bowman rode a brilliant race. He was a bit unlucky in the straight, but the horse fought and was very tough. I’m sure he can win again.”
The son of Deep Field knocked on the door last term but failed to get his head in front. He gave a good account of himself to surge home for fourth from gate 11 on the opening day of the season.
“He hadn’t won in Hong Kong but a few of his races have been outstanding defeats,” Hayes said. “It was just a matter of time for things to pan out and work.”
Harmony N Blessed was not disgraced when he finished fourth in the Class One HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup (1,200m) on September 9 and the eight-year-old relished a step down in grade to win the Class Two Woodpecker Handicap (1,200m).
Dismissing a strong field which included winning machine Copartner Prance and up-and-coming talents Young Champion and Full Credit, Harmony N Blessed skipped through the rain-softened ground to win decisively by a length and a quarter.
The son of Magnus delivered a fifth win of the season to Hayes and a first victory of the campaign to South African Keagan de Melo.
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