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Golden Sixty takes out Hong Kong Mile

Australian-bred Golden Sixty (5 g ex Gaudeamus by Distorted Humor) produced the performance of his life to win the Hong Kong Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday and in the process handed former Darley shuttler Medaglia d’Oro (El Prado) with his 26th elite level winner. 

The five-year-old gelding stayed on strongly to beat fellow Australian-bred Southern Legend (Not A Single Doubt) by two lengths, while Admire Mars (Daiwa Major) was another neck away in third. 

“I can have a good sleep tonight!” trainer Francis Lui said. “I’m very happy – at the moment, I don’t know what to say, (my heart) is still pumping. As a jockey, as a trainer, as an owner, you’re dreaming of this.

“I was worried about the horses from Japan and Ireland but now, after this race, he has shown me that he’s a champion.”

Purchased by Riversley Park and Enigma Farm $120,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2017, the colt was then bought by his trainer for NZ$300,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale and he has only been beaten once in his 15 start career, including the landing the Hong Kong Triple Crown in 2020. 

Golden Sixty is out of Irish Group 2 winner Gaudeamus (Distorted Humor), making him a half-brother to Listed-placed Igitur (Helmet). 

Further afield this is the family Group / Grade 3 winners O’Juke (Jukebox Jury) and King Zachary (Curlin) and Listed winners Battle Force (Giant's Causeway), Falconet (Falco) and Moorland (Luxor). 

Element Hill will offer Golden Sixty’s Capitalist (Written Tycoon) half-sister as Lot 336 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale next month. 

Medaglia d’Oro shuttled to Australia for eight seasons, but did not return in 2018 and he is now represented in Australia by his three sire sons, Vancouver, Astern and Nostradamus. Medaglia d’Oro will stand at Darley’s Jonabell Farm in Kentucky for a fee of US$150,000 in 2021.