Passionate Warrior defeat paves way for Golden Sixty Horse of the Calendar year hat-trick, Silvestre de Sousa withdraws enchantment | HK Racing

Though even a gain from Romantic Warrior in Sunday’s Group 1 Regular Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) may possibly not have manufactured a difference, the superstar’s narrow decline to Russian Emperor appears to have ensured a record Horse of the Year hat-trick for Golden Sixty.

While Intimate Warrior’s connections have to settle for two Team One particular wins this period, two-time reigning Horse of the Calendar year Golden Sixty and the city’s new sprinting feeling, Lucky Sweynesse, stroll absent with 3 each individual.

Both equally have been fully dominant in 2023, shrugging off defeats at the Hong Kong Worldwide Races to choose all just before them this calendar yr.

But while Fortunate Sweynesse reeled off elite-stage wins in the Centenary Dash Cup (1,200m), Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) and Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) to become the initial horse due to the fact the good Silent Witness to sweep the Hong Kong Pace Series, it’s Golden Sixty who’s in the box seat for still yet another Horse of the Yr gong.

Although Lucky Sweynesse has included a more three Group races to his CV this time, Golden Sixty seems poised to build extra historical past by starting to be the very first horse in the experienced period of Hong Kong racing to get Horse of the 12 months in three straight many years.

Immediately after starting up his surge by getting down Intimate Warrior and California Spangle in a Stewards’ Cup (1,600m) billed as the race of the ten years, Golden Sixty stared down Romantic Warrior at his opponent’s pet length in the Gold Cup (2,000m) in advance of successful the Champions Mile for the third straight period.

For his difficulties, Golden Sixty turned the optimum-earning racehorse in record, improving his history to 25 wins from 29 begins and location a further Hong Kong record by escalating his Team A single tally to nine.

Though Lucky Sweynesse appears to be like to have Champion Sprinter in the bag, Golden Sixty will be Champion Miler and Russian Emperor’s acquire on Sunday will see him crowned Champion Stayer, there are some wondering regardless of whether Romantic Warrior’s Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) and QE II Cup (2,000m) successes are ample to see him named Winner Center-Distance Horse for a second straight calendar year contemplating Golden Sixty bettered him at their only conference at 10 furlongs.

Patch performs

Whilst a great deal, if not all, of the notice was targeted on the rousing battle concerning Passionate Warrior and Russian Emperor in the dying phases of Sunday’s Champions & Chater Cup, 5 G Patch was quietly putting up a effectiveness in 3rd that implies Hong Kong has yet another capable stayer on its fingers.

Right after entering his initially set-weights assignment on a rating of just 87 – 43 points underneath Passionate Warrior – Five G Patch was sent off at $45 but beat the likes of 2nd favorite Straight Arron and Funds Catcher home on his way to ending only a size and a quarter adrift of winner Russian Emperor, who was snaring the Champions & Chater Cup for a next 12 months operating.

The functionality of Tony Cruz’s up-and-comer gained him a 5-level penalty from the handicappers.

De Sousa withdraws appeal

Silvestre de Sousa has withdrawn his attractiveness from the severity of the 10-month ban he obtained earlier this month for betting-related offences.

In the beginning scheduled to front stewards on Tuesday afternoon, Brazilian jockey De Sousa has rather made the decision to settle for his punishment for facilitating a guess for countryman Vagner Borges, who obtained a 12-month ban for acquiring an curiosity in a wager on a horse he rode, Young Fantastic, at Delighted Valley on April 26.

De Sousa’s suspension operates until March 11 following yr.

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