Throughout Golden Sixty\u2019s storied career, Zac Purton and Karis Teetan were united in two facets as they searched for ways to foil the Hong Kong champion \u2013 the almost certain inevitability of defeat and unqualified admiration.<\/p>
Of the five defeats Golden Sixty suffered in a glittering 31-start career, Purton was responsible for three – triumphing on Waikuku in the 2022 G1 Stewards\u2019 Cup (1600m) when Golden Sixty was attempting to equal Silent Witness\u2019 record of 17 consecutive wins, winning on California Spangle in the 2022 G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) and finally, piloting Beauty Eternal to victory in the 2024 G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m).<\/p>
The last of those three Purton victories doubled as Golden Sixty\u2019s final race but, having consigned Francis Lui\u2019s gelding into fourth place, nothing could dilute Purton\u2019s appreciation of Hong Kong\u2019s equine hero.<\/p>
\u201cHe\u2019s the best horse I\u2019ve seen in my time here in Hong Kong,\u201d Purton said. \u201cHe was the perfect racehorse, really.<\/p>
\u201cFirstly, it was heartbreaking, just to be behind the gates and in the races with him knowing that you\u2019re basically going to run second. He was such a good horse. I loved his will to win, the way he pinned his ears back, the acceleration he showed \u2013 that turn of foot is very rare to see horses run home in the sectionals he would run home in, over the distances he ran.<\/p>
\u201cHe became more versatile as his career progressed as well. He was able to be ridden more prominently on the speed. He\u2019d go inside or outside.<\/p>
\u201cOur challenge was to always try and find a way to beat him and really at the end of the day, it was just circumstances and bad luck that beat him.<\/p>
\u201cI always love seeing horses of his calibre race and although it was difficult through those years to go up against him, it also made it challenging to try find a way to beat him. Fortunately, I did a few times, but not enough.\u201d<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”5070″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Like Purton, Teetan has been associated with some of Hong Kong racing\u2019s most decorated horses, none more so than Romantic Warrior, twice finishing on the losing side of the ledger in clashes aboard Danny Shum\u2019s star with Golden Sixty \u2013 the 2023 Stewards\u2019 Cup and the 2023 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup, marking the only time Romantic Warrior has been beaten over 2000m in Hong Kong.<\/p>
\u201cBeing in a race with him was just different. We all had to be aware of when he was coming and I remember him beating me when I was on Romantic Warrior, and that was not a nice feeling. I thought I had the race won and I just remember this massive head coming on my outside,\u201d Teetan said.<\/p>
\u201cHe was just a different horse and I think he\u2019s going to be missed by many people in Hong Kong. He brought so many fans to the races – I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll see it again.\u201d<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”5071″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Along with Lui, Vincent Ho, who rode Golden Sixty in all 31 starts, will be central to the nine-year-old\u2019s farewell celebrations at Sha Tin on Sunday (22 September) and it is clear owner Mr Stanley Chan\u2019s gelding has left an indelible mark on everyone associated with the horse.<\/p>
\u201cOf course (he was life changing). He helped me to build up my name and, actually, I would say he taught me how to train,\u201d Lui said. \u201cThe horse helped us all to build up our names and he gave the team confidence about how to train.\u201d<\/p>
Ho, who piloted Golden Sixty to a Hong Kong record 10 Group 1s, said the earner of an unmatched HK$167.17 million was \u201ca horse who taught me to be a better athlete and a better jockey. From him I\u2019ve grown a lot, mentally as well.\u201d<\/p>
\u201cFrom receiving all the pressure of riding in a Group 1 on a horse like him to enjoying myself in a Group 1 and winning, it\u2019s another feeling. That\u2019s what he taught me and gave us all,\u201d Ho said.<\/p>
\u201cHe is special because no matter what, he did his best all the time. Even if he wasn\u2019t the fittest sometimes and not feeling his best, he still gave his all and made things happen.<\/p>
\u201cThis is something everyone can learn from. Every time I rode him, I learned something new. I really appreciate what he has done for us.\u201d<\/p>
A farewell ceremony<\/a> for Golden Sixty will be held at Sha Tin on Sunday (22 September) from 3.10pm. The three-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year will be honoured by Hong Kong racing officials and patrons to mark his contribution to the city\u2019s racing and his phenomenal achievements.<\/p> Racegoers who wear a top or a cheering scarf, featuring a motif of Golden Sixty or his racing silk elements, can enjoy free admission to the Sha Tin Public Enclosure from 11am.<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”5073″ img_size=”full” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”5069″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Throughout Golden Sixty\u2019s storied career, Zac Purton and Karis Teetan were united in two facets as they searched for ways to foil the Hong Kong champion \u2013 the almost certain inevitability of defeat and unqualified admiration.Of the five defeats Golden Sixty suffered in a glittering 31-start career, Purton was responsible for… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":5068,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"2normal","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/racing-event-hub-golden-sixty\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5066"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/racing-event-hub-golden-sixty\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/racing-event-hub-golden-sixty\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/racing-event-hub-golden-sixty\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/racing-event-hub-golden-sixty\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5066"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/racing-event-hub-golden-sixty\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5066\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5086,"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/racing-event-hub-golden-sixty\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5066\/revisions\/5086"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/racing-event-hub-golden-sixty\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/racing-event-hub-golden-sixty\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/racing-event-hub-golden-sixty\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/campaigns.hkjc.com\/racing-event-hub-golden-sixty\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}