Loves Only You (Deep Impact – Loves Only Me, by Storm Cat) set the perfect seal on one of international racing’s most colourful careers with a spellbinding success in the HK$30 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) on Sunday (12 December).
Yoshito Yahagi’s globetrotting mare has flown the Hinomaru flag from Dubai to Hong Kong and on to the USA then back to Sha Tin again in 2021, leading home a Japanese 1-2-3-4 in the G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) in April then creating history by becoming the first horse from her nation to score at the Breeders’ Cup.
Hong Kong’s richest race had been nominated as the final race of the Deep Impact mare’s career soon after she crossed the line in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (2200m) at Del Mar on 6 November.
Her fifth long flight of the year took her annual distance covered to over 20,000 miles but Loves Only You was produced in perfect condition and completed the final leg of her global odyssey with a last-gasp success under the coolest of rides from Yuga Kawada.
The 36-year-old rider, who was extremely fortunate not to be brought down when previous winner Danon Smash was badly hampered in a dramatic G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) earlier in the day, was understandably thrilled to record his first HKIR success. “Thank you very much, I’m very proud,” he said.
“She jumped well. The pace was a bit slow but then she relaxed and I was able to find a good position. She’s given me two big presents and is the best female horse I’ve ever ridden. I hope she will be a good mother.”
Sent off the 2.6 market leader, Loves Only You jumped alertly from stall four and was soon travelling keenly just behind a steady early pace set by Mac Swiney, Ka Ying Star and the wide-running Bolshoi Ballet.
Russian Emperor made a bold move to hit the front as a packing field jostled for position early in the home straight but last season’s BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) runner-up edged right with his tongue lolling out as he did so, placing Loves Only You in a pocket on the inner at a crucial point.
Hishi Iguazu produced a storming run from the rear on the outside soon after under Joao Moreira to draw level briefly well inside the final furlong.
However, Kawada had Loves Only You in full cry by this stage and the five-year-old repeated her Del Mar heroics, quickening valiantly between horses under pressure to lead close home and beat her fellow Japanese raider by a short head.
Russian Emperor ran the race of his life for Douglas Whyte and Blake Shinn to finish a length away in third, while British raider Dubai Honour never looked like becoming the first European runner to win the Cup since Snow Fairy in 2010 but stayed on powerfully for fourth once in the clear for William Haggas and Tom Marquand.
Three years on from seeing his star filly Lys Gracieux beaten narrowly by Exultant in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m), winning trainer Yoshito Yahagi was completing an incredible end to 2021 which has also produced a 50-1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff success for Marche Lorraine and a commanding Japan Cup success for his superstar colt Contrail.
(GOLDEN SIXTY won the Hong Kong Mile – read more below)
Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’oro – Gaudeamus by Distorted Humor) stands alone as Hong Kong’s most prolific winner in history after he successfully defended his G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) crown at Sha Tin on Dec. 12.
Nailing yet another heart-stopping win under jockey Vincent Ho, Hong Kong’s champion savoured the 19th win of his career to set a new record in town, surpassing the previous mantle of 18 he shared with Silent Witness and Beauty Generation, dating back to when the professional era of Hong Kong racing commenced in 1971.
Smashing a fine field of 10 others from Japan, Ireland and Hong Kong including this year’s G1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) winner (Danon Kingly), Golden Sixty enhanced his earnings to a mouth-watering HK$95.453 million with victory, just HK$10.78 million shy of the record mark (in Hong Kong) set by Beauty Generation (HK$106.233 million).
Racing in the silks of Stanley Chan Ka-Leung and trained by Francis Lui, Golden Sixty – ‘The Pride of Hong Kong’ – delivered a performance worthy of status as the world’s best miler.
“I feel very happy, he’s my champion and I have to say thank you to my team and Vincent (Ho) and the owner – they support me,” Lui said.
Extending his winning sequence to 16, Ho dropped the Medaglia d’Oro gelding back to the second half of the field on the fence; in the straight, Ho weaved for an out, eventually taking a split at the 300m mark before his sparkling dash carried him to a one and three quarter length victory in a time of 1m 33.86s.
“I knew he was at his best, gate two was a little bit tricky, I didn’t want to be stuck on the inside but eventually the race panned out well and the pace was genuine,” Ho said.
More Than This filled second spot while Salios and Mother Earth grabbed third and fourth, respectively.
“It was much better today because the pace was on, he actually relaxed very well and as a six-year-old he’s more mature, so it’s even better,” Ho said.
The success is the second at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races for both Francis Lui and Vincent Ho, while today’s performance sees Golden Sixty remain unbeaten since September, 2019.
GOLDEN SIXTY’S dam Gaudeamus is a Group 2 winner in Ireland and she was sent to Australia for her breeding career. Gaudeamus is from the winning Seattle Slew mare Leo’s Lucky Lady whose dam is Ontario-bred KONAFA. Bred by E.P. Taylor, Konafa, who was Group 1 placed, has produced several stakes winners and she is also the granddam of champions Bosra Sham and Hector Protector.
Konafa is from Taylor’s top mare ROYAL STATUTE (Northern Dancer), the dam of champion AWASSIF among others.
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