By Alan Carasso
John Moore has been in the training business for the better part of five decades and has had his hands on a lot of seriously good horses. Following another imperious performance from Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}) in Sunday's G1 Stewards' Cup, the conditioner had the highest possible praise for his 6-year-old galloper.
“He's the best of the lot,” the Australian handler told the Hong Kong Jockey Club's David Morgan following Beauty Generation's three-length thumping of the up-and-coming Conte (Aus) (Starcraft {NZ}).
The gravity of that assessment cannot be understated, given the horses that have represented the yard–Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal), Viva Pataca (GB) (Marju {Ire}), Designs on Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and the late Rapper Dragon (Aus) (Street Boss) to name but a few. But with a little luck and continued good health, Beauty Generation has a chance to supplant Viva Pataca–who retired with HK$83.2 million in the bank–as the all-time money spinner in Hong Kong history.
With only five others willing to take him on and sent off at a skinny 15 cents on the dollar, Beauty Generation hit the ground running and set a sensible pace through the opening 800 metres. With Zac Purton merely a passenger, he instantaneously put a couple of lengths on his scuffling rivals in upper stretch and went on about his business, with nary a hint of the wayward ways that have plagued him from time to time owing to some foot issues.
Purton delivered what could only be deemed as bad news for any future takers following the win.
“I thought Beauty Generation's performance last time [in defeating Southern Legend (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile Dec. 9] was better than today,” he told Morgan. “But he had a bit of a let-up after the Hong Kong Mile and John had him on the way back up today. He's not far off his top and he's just shown that.”
Moore confirmed that immediate overseas targets are off the agenda, and that Beauty Generation would defend his title in the Feb. 17 G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) en route to the G1 Champions Mile Apr. 28. A race like the G1 Yasuda Kinen in early June in Tokyo remains a possibility.
Pedigree Notes:
Beauty Generation is one of two foals from his dam to make the races and is kin to a Oct. 13-foaled filly by Tavistock (NZ) that is cataloged as lot 443 during Book 1 of the 2019 NZB Karaka Yearling Sales. Stylish Bel produced a colt by Tavistock's G1 Rosehill Guineas and G1 VRC Derby winner Tarzino (NZ) last Oct. 31 and is in foal to I Am Invincible (Aus), according to a tweet from Rosemont Stud. The latter is the stallion home of Starcraft, sire of Conte and Centenary Sprint Cup third Winner's Way (Aus)
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
STEWARDS' CUP-G1, HK$10,000,000 (£981,827/€1,119,413/A$1,773,859/US$1,275,016), Sha Tin, 1-20, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:33.51, gd.
1–BEAUTY GENERATION (NZ), 126, g, 6, by Road to Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: Stylish Bel (Aus), by Bel Esprit (Aus)
2nd Dam: Stylish Victory (Aus), by Durham Ranger
3rd Dam: Romantic Peace (Aus), by Mikado (Aus)
(NZ$60,000 Ylg '14 NZBSEL). O-Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen; B-Nearco Stud Ltd; T-John Moore; J-Zac Purton; HK$5,700,000. Lifetime Record: Horse of the Year & Ch. Miler-HK, G1SP-Aus, 27-14-3-4, HK$68,578,220. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Conte (Aus), 126, g, 5, Starcraft (NZ)–Miss Midas (Aus), by Flying Spur (Aus). (A$50,000 Ylg '15 INGEAS). O-Phillip Chan Kwok Chung; B-G P Nolan (Qld); T-John Size; HK$2,200,000.
3–Southern Legend (Aus), 126, g, 6, Not A Single Doubt (Aus)–Donna's Appeal (Aus), by Carnegie (Ire). (A$280,000 Ylg '14 INGEAS). O-Boniface Ho Ka Kui; B-Corumbene Stud (NSW); T-Caspar Fownes; HK$1,000,000.
Margins: 3, NO, 1 1/4. Odds: 15-100, 11-2, 31-1.
Also Ran: Pakistan Star (Ger), Northern Superstar (SAf), Beauty Only (Ire).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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