Golden Sixty\u2019s record-breaking performance during the 2022\/23 racing season saw Hong Kong\u2019s champion earn the Horse of the Year title for a third consecutive year at a special presentation held at the Grand Ballroom of the Rosewood Hotel in Hong Kong tonight (Friday, 14 July).<\/p>
As such, he becomes the first horse in the history of Hong Kong racing to annex three consecutive Horse of the Year crowns.<\/p>
The Francis Lui-trained seven-year-old\u2019s efforts this season also secured a third straight Champion Miler title with his string of outstanding performances in Group 1 mile events.<\/p>
Golden Sixty had five starts this season, suffering the only defeat in the campaign when beaten by California Spangle in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m). The seven-year-old son of Medaglia d\u2019Oro then scored a hat-trick of top-level wins, landing the Stewards\u2019 Cup (1600m), Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) and FWD Champions Mile (1600m), taking his overall record to 25 wins and three placings from 29 starts and extending his record prize money to HK$147.93 million.<\/p>
He stands alone as Hong Kong\u2019s most prolific Group 1 winner, eclipsing the feats of Beauty Generation by tallying an unmatched nine Group 1 wins after sealing a third FWD Champions Mile win in succession last April.<\/p>
Golden Sixty\u2019s impressive feats this year were reflected in the first edition of the 2023 LONGINES World\u2019s Best Racehorse Rankings, in which he topped the list with an international rating of 125 after scoring a Group 1 double in the Stewards Cup and Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup. Currently, Golden Sixty and Lucky Sweynesse sit joint-third behind Equinox and Mostahdaf on an international rating of 125.<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”24515″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
The Manfred Man-trained Lucky Sweynesse was named this season\u2019s Champion Sprinter and Champion Four-Year-Old. The emerging youngster continued his advance from his 98 rating to becoming a three-time Group 1 winner this term, claiming each leg of Hong Kong\u2019s HK$5 million Speed Series: G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m), G1 Queen\u2019s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) and G1 Chairman\u2019s Sprint Prize (1200m). The Sweynesse gelding matched Beauty Generation\u2019s record for the most wins in a single season when he ended the term in a high note by scoring for the eighth time in the G3 Sha Tin Vase (1200m).<\/p>
Currently rated 131 locally, Lucky Sweynesse is the highest-rated four-year-old in Hong Kong.<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”24519″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
The Danny Shum-trained Romantic Warrior has been crowned this season\u2019s Champion Middle-Distance Horse for the second consecutive year by winning the two prominent 10 furlong features in Hong Kong, namely the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) and G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m), beating overseas rivals on both occasions. In the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup, the son of Acclamation left a high-class global field trailing in his wake with a dominant performance and in April this year, he confirmed himself among the world\u2019s elite with a commanding second straight success in the FWD QEII Cup.<\/p>
A graduate of the 2021 Hong Kong International Sale as a HK$4.8 million purchase, Romantic Warrior is currently ranked joint-seventh in the LONGINES World\u2019s Best Racehorse Rankings with the international rating of 123. His earnings are HK$84.36 million, which includes 10 wins from 14 starts. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”24518″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
The Douglas Whyte-trained Russian Emperor claimed back-to-back Champion Stayer of Hong Kong titles following his tremendous win in the QAT G1 H.H. The Amir Trophy (2400m) in Doha, Qatar. He is the only Hong Kong runner to score in an overseas race this term. Upon returning to Hong Kong, he claimed a second consecutive G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) in May.<\/p>
The John Size-trained Howdeepisyourlove finished his debut season with four wins from 12 starts to be crowned Hong Kong\u2019s Champion Griffin. The three-year-old has nine top-three finishes to his name and achieved a career highlight with victory in Class 2. \u00a0Howdeepisyourlove shot up 44 points and now sits on a career-high rating of 96.<\/p>
The John Size-trained Beauty Eternal is this season\u2019s Most Improved Horse. After starting the campaign rated 52, the Starspangledbanner gelding soared 65 points to 117 after achieving seven wins, one second and two thirds from ten starts in his first season.<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”24516″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
John Size was honoured with a record 12th Hong Kong Champion Trainer title. The battle for the championship was settled before the season finale, as Size successfully repelled a strong challenge from Francis Lui and Frankie Lor throughout the season to recapture the crown.<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”24517″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Zac Purton is now a six-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey. The Australian rider enjoyed another remarkable season of dominance, including breaking Joao Moreira\u2019s single-season record of 170 wins. He also reached 1,600 career wins in Hong Kong. Purton and Douglas Whyte are the only jockeys in the history of Hong Kong racing to reach 1,600 wins.<\/p>
Vincent Ho won the Tony Cruz Award as the season\u2019s leading homegrown rider with a personal best 94 wins (as of 14 July).<\/p>
This season\u2019s Most Popular Jockey and Most Popular Horse will be presented at the conclusion of Sunday\u2019s (16 July) 88th and final fixture this season at Sha Tin.<\/p>
The winners for the 2022\/23 season are listed as follows:<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]