Beauty Only Gives Purton A Group 1 Double in the Mile

Beauty Only | HKJC photo

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Following the victory of Japan's Hat Trick (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) in 2005, Hong Kong-based horses won nine straight renewals of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, capped by the barnstorming success of Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal) in 2014. Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) returned the Mile trophy to the Land of the Rising Sun last year, defeating Able Friend into third, but Hong Kong took it back Sunday, as Beauty Only (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) led home a top-four sweep for the locals. It was the second Mile win for the Kwok Family, adding to that of Beauty Flash (NZ) (Golan {Ire}) in 2010.

A Group 3 winner in Italy, Beauty Only won the Hong Kong Classic Mile in early 2015, but did not handle the stretchout in distance and was returned to shorter trips. Third to Contentment (Aus) (Hussonet) in the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m), he won the Chairman's Trophy back at this distance, was fourth to Maurice in the G1 Champions Mile in May and closed the season with a second to Rapper Dragon (Aus) (Street Boss) later that month. Placed in each of his first two runs this term, the blaze-faced bay came calling late to best Romantic Touch (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) in the G2 Jockey Club Mile Nov. 23.

Drawn gate 13, one spot to the inside of favored Able Friend, Beauty Only was soon near the back of affairs as fellow Kwok colorbearer Beauty Flame (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) led out through the opening stages from Contentment, and then the Japanese duo of Neorealism (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}) and Logotype (Jpn) (Lohengrin {Jpn}). The latter made all in the G1 Yasuda Kinen, but was sluggish to begin here before mustering up the fence. There was little change in the order, as Beauty Flame led into the turn, but Beauty Only commenced a rally beneath Zac Purton, only to be matched by Hugh Bowman atop the well-bet Helene Paragon (Fr) (Polan {Fr}). That strategy flushed Beauty Only out into the four path on the circle, but he was well into the clear and in the midst of his rally when heads were turned for home. There were as many as six or seven chances at the 200m, as Neorealism led briefly between calls, but Beauty Only claimed a narrow advantage with a little more than a sixteenth of a mile to come and was along in time. Helene Paragon closed off well for second, just ahead of stablemate Joyful Trinity (Ire) (Zanzibari).

“He is much improved this season and he was very strong today,” said Purton, winning his second Group 1 in succession. “[Jockey] Hughie [Bowman] pushed off the fence about the 700 which made me have to go a bit earlier than I wanted to, but the horse has got a big set of lungs and kept running. We set sail after the leaders and he responded really well. I believe he can stretch out to 2,000 [metres], so there was no doubting him being strong at the end of the mile.”

Able Friend raced just behind Beauty Only for much of the trip, but could not summon the necessary late response. Joao Moreira was wishing that the favorite, a first-up fourth in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint Nov. 20, had one more tightener heading into the Mile.

“He feels like he needed another run–his lack of fitness told. He should be right on his next run,” Moreira commented.

Pedigree Notes:
Beauty Only, who raced in Italy as Gentleman Only, is kin to the current 3-year-old colt Dee Dee d'Or (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}), a stakes winner and runner-up in this year's G2 Derby Italiano. Beauty Only's dam is a half-sister to Italian highweight and GSW Late Parade (Ire) (Astronef {Ire}), the dam of US GSW & GISP Sweet Ludy (Ire) (Be My Guest). Goldendale's most recent produce is a yearling colt of this year by Fastnet Rock (Ire), who fetched €95,000 as a weanling from WE Bloodstock at Goffs last November. Beauty Only becomes the third representative of Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) based in Hong Kong to achieve Group 1 success, joining Designs On Rome (Ire) and the now-retired Rich Tapestry (Ire). Click here for a piece on Holy Roman Emperor following Beauty Only's Classic Mile in 2015.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
LONGINES HONG KONG MILE-G1, HK$23,000,000 (£2,354,133/€2,792,351/A$3,968,841/US$2,964,599), 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:33.48, gd.
1–&BEAUTY ONLY (IRE), 126, g, 5, by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
1st Dam: Goldendale (Ire), by Ali-Royal (Ire)
2nd Dam: Skisette, by Malinowski
3rd Dam: Salette (Ire), by Sallust (GB)
(€72,000 Ylg '12 ITYSEP). O-Eleanor Kwok Law Kwai Chun & Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen; B-Massimo Parri; T-Tony Cruz; J-Zac Purton; HK$13,110,000. Lifetime Record: 28-10-5-3, HK$33,616,620. *1/2 to Dee Dee d'Or (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}), SW & GSP-Ity, $190,118. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
2–Helene Paragon (Fr), 126, c, 4, Polan (Fr)–High Zaff (GB), by High Chaparral (Ire). O-Sir Po-shing & Lady Woo, Wilson Woo Ka Wah, Jackson Woo Ka Biu & Dawson Woo Ka Chung; B-Angel Jordan Torres; T-John Moore; HK$5,060,000.
3–Joyful Trinity (Ire), 126, g, 4, Zanzibari–Bargouzine, by Stravinsky. O-Lai Wai Chi; B-Ecurie Peregrine Sas; T-John Moore; HK$2,300,000.
Margins: HF, HF, NK. Odds: 5-1, 49-10, 14-1.
Also Ran: Contentment (Aus), Logotype (Jpn), Able Friend (Aus), Satono Aladdin (Jpn), Romantic Touch (Aus), Neorealism (Jpn), Cougar Mountain (Ire), Giant Treasure, Sun Jewellery (Aus), Beauty Flame (Ire), Packing Pins (NZ).
Click for the HKJC.com chart and VIDEO. HKJC.com PPs. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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