Golden Sixty takes the 2023 Longines Hong Kong Mile

2023 Longines Hong Kong Mile Results

Winning jockey Vincent Ho celebrates aboard Golden Sixty after winning the Hong Kong Mile

Date: 12/10/2023

In the HK$32 million (US$4.10 million) Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1), the world’s richest turf mile race, a full field of 14 older horses went to post for the 1600 meter (about 1 mile) trip around one turn of the Sha Tin turf. 2020 and 2021 winner and 2022 runner-up Golden Sixty was sent off as the 6-5 favorite off wins in the Stewards’ Cup (G1), Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1), and Champions Mile (G1). In to challenge him included 7-2 second choice Beauty Eternal, winner of the Jockey Club Mile (G2), and 6-1 third choice Serifos, 8th in the Mile Championship (G1) at Kyoto after finishing second in the Yasuda Kinen (G1) at Tokyo.

Jockey Mickael Barzalona sent 77-1 Tribalist to the lead exiting the chute and he set fractions of 25.07, 47.98, and 1:11.65 while pressed by 9-1 California Spangle and stalked by 113-1 Cairo. Turning for home the pacesetters tired as favorite Golden Sixty, 7th early under Vincent Ho, surged to the lead at the 1/8 pole, and easily held off late-running 30-1 Voyage Bubble to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:34.10. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to deep closing Nabur third.

 #  Horse               Jockey          Win    Place
 1  Golden Sixty         Ho             4.70     2.70
10  Voyage Bubble        McDonald               13.40
13  Namur                Buick                   7.40

Winning Time:  1:34.10

$1  Quinella 1-10                   39.95
$1  Exacta 1-10                     56.50
$1  Trifecta 1-10-13               696.90

Left: Golden Sixty in the winner’s circle. Winning trainer Francis Lui said, “He is my champion. I think he enjoyed the race – he knew what to do. I was happy with how he improved in every barrier trial. He showed good fighting heart,” Lui said. Our team did a good job, they looked after the horse very well. I have to say thank you to my team.”

Right: Golden Sixty heads out to the track before the race. Winning jockey Vincent Ho said, “He’s a monster. When I asked him for an effort, he lengthened like I can’t believe – he’s still got that turn of foot. It’s crazy. I got the three-wide with cover, where I wanted to be and he knows his racing now. He’s never travelled keen with me, he was relaxed all of the way and then when I asked him for an effort, he just gave me 100 percent. A lot of people were saying the age of eight is a concern, but to be honest I never doubted him.”

Left: Golden Sixty parades for the fans after the race. Ho added, “They are talking about retiring the horse. Of course, it looks like the right thing to do – he has achieved so much – but if he is still performing like this and he loves his racing so much, is it the right thing to take away what he loves? We will of course have to think about that as well. He’s a horse who loves racing – he enjoys it, he enjoys the crowd and as long as he is healthy and competitive, we are happy.”

Right: All the connections and officials pose with the trophy and winner’s banner after the trophy presentation for the Hong Kong Mile. Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said, “I have very seldom seen the performance of a horse, an 8-year-old first time up drawn gate 14, and it was an absolutely brilliant ride by Vincent. There was a lot of doubt how it would play out and it was a tactical masterpiece how the horse was positioned. When the horse accelerated, when you could hear the crowd cheering for the local champion, this was something which, in my view, was unforgettable.”

Left: Second place finisher Voyage Bubble heads out to the track before the race. Jockey James McDonald said, “That was unbelievable. It was a super performance. I’m so proud of him and (trainer) Ricky Yiu has done an amazing job, he’s in for a great season.”

Right: Third place finisher Namur heads out to the track before the race. Jockey William Buick said, “She ran great. She was drawn 12 which wasn’t ideal but I did the thing I had to do and she’s got a good turn of foot which she showed today. We covered a bit of ground but I think everyone will be happy with that. She bumped into a superstar.”

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