Superstar Hong Kong galloper Golden Sixty (Medaglia d’Oro) will start from the outside stall in Sunday’s Gr.1 Hong Kong Mile.
The now eight-year-old, who was purchased as a two-year-old at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, holds the record for the most Group One wins in Hong Kong (nine) and will attempt to join Good Ba Ba (Lear Fan) as the only three-time winner of the Hong Kong Mile.
A winner of 25 of his 29 career starts, he first won the mile in 2020, before collecting his second in 2021.
Golden Sixty was surprisingly upstaged by California Spangle (Starspangledbanner) in this race last year, though connections remain confident he can make it Group One win number 10 on Sunday.
Unbeaten in six previous first up attempts, the stable elected to bypass last month’s Jockey Club Mile and will go into Sunday’s feature off a 224 day break.
Installed as a warm favourite prior to the draw, he has now drifted to $2.60 which would be his biggest starting price since September 2019.
Fellow Hong Kong superstar Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse) fared much better on Thursday morning, drawing barrier five in the Hong Kong Sprint.
Beaten at his first two starts to begin this preparation, Lucky Sweynesse returned to his winning ways last start when scoring narrowly in the Jockey Club Sprint.
Much better suited under the set weights conditions on Sunday, he looks to get a charmed run for Zac Purton with notable speed horse Victor The Winner drawn directly to his inside.
Lucky Sweynesse has been building nicely towards his Grand Final and a peak performance will see Purton collect his third Hong Kong Sprint, having won twice aboard Aerovelocity (NZ) (Pins) (2014 and 2016).
