Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Sunday (29 January) for a 10-race fixture, highlighted by the running of the Group 1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) and the first leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, the Hong Kong Classic Mile.
The first leg of the 2023 Triple Crown Series is upon us and it shapes as a race for the ages as Hong Kong’s ‘Big Three’ – GOLDEN SIXTY, ROMANTIC WARRIOR and CALIFORNIA SPANGLE – face off in the Group 1 Stewards’ Cup.
Suffering only four defeats across the span of his 26-start career to date, the now seven-year-old GOLDEN SIXTY will be aiming to turn the tables on thriving five-year-old CALIFORNIA SPANGLE after failing to reel him in the last time they met in December’s G1 Hong Kong Mile. With just a small field of seven lining up in this season’s Stewards’ Cup, the speed map should favour CALIFORNIA SPANGLE to vie to make all in the run under Zac Purton.
The champion jockey won this race last year, guiding WAIKUKU home to victory by three quarters of a length over GOLDEN SIXTY in a race in which was run slower than you’d see Class 5 gallopers go at over the mile.
But perhaps the one they all have to beat is other five-year-old, ROMANTIC WARRIOR. The nine-time winner from 10 looks on track to become a Hong Kong great, last seen destroying his rivals by 4.5 lengths in the G1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m). Having not raced over the mile since winning the Hong Kong Classic Mile this time last year, the drop back in distance is the query, however a champion in the making such as him should be able to defy it.
Exciting four-year-old PACKING TREADMILL will be the market elect to claim the first leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, the Hong Kong Classic Mile.
A two-year-old trial winner in Australia, PACKING TREADMILL has laid claims to be a star in the making in Hong Kong after posting six wins and one third placing from just eight starts since making his race track debut in February last year. His rating has soared from 52 to 93, a confident-boosting number for connections heading into the three-leg Classic Series, as history says the higher the rating the better for your winning chances.
PACKING TREADMILL was last seen trying this distance for the first time in his career, taking it all his in stride as he won narrowly but impressively under unfashionable jockey Dylan Mo.
Reuniting with Zac Purton is a positive for PACKING TREADMILL, the pair looking sharp at the trials in between runs, while boasting plenty of tactical speed, PACKING TREADMILL will be getting all the favours on-pace.
