Vincent Ho

by Alan Carasso Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the winner of the G3 Hampton Court S. at Royal Ascot in 2020, had run some mighty races since being imported into Hong Kong, but just hadn't had that breakthrough moment. On a rain-soaked Sunday afternoon where the thermometer never made it into the double digits, the 5-year-old finally stood centre stage following a bloodless, 4 1/4-length thrashing of a field that included Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup at Sha...

Having suffered a shock defeat when last seen in the G1 Stewards' Cup--his first in over 30 months--Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) will have atonement on his mind when he goes in search of back-to-back victories in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000mT) Sunday afternoon at Sha Tin Racecourse. There was plenty to play for in the Stewards', as Golden Sixty had taken his winning streak to 16 with a second consecutive success in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile in December and had the chance to draw...

The Omicron variant of the COVID-19 pandemic dictated that there would be no one on hand Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse to 'witness' the running of the G1 Stewards' Cup. But there was a collective 'silence' right round the world when Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) crossed the wire three-parts of a length to the good of the virtually unbeatable Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), who saw his attempt to equal the winning streak of Silent Witness (Aus) go by the wayside while tasting defeat for just the second time...

Reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) is already the owner of one local record, having become the winningest horse in Hong Kong history when easily defending his title in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile six weeks ago. The 6-year-old looms a dominant favourite when he goes in search of a second consecutive victory in Sunday's G1 Stewards' Cup over his pet distance and two more records lie straight ahead. The Hong Kong Mile was win number 19 from 20 starts and not only...

In a race where the final time was outside the standard of Class 3 handicap horses and well over a full second slower than what typical group-level milers put up, reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) employed a galactic late turn of speed to win for the 15th straight time and for the 18th time in 19 career starts, successfully defending his title in Sunday's G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse. The 6-year-old has not tasted defeat in almost...

Having secured champion 4-year-old honours in 2019-2020, courtesy of his sweep of the local Triple Crown, Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) capped a perfect 5-year-old campaign by being named the Horse of the Year in Hong Kong during ceremonies held Tuesday evening at Happy Valley Racecourse. Bred in Queensland by Asco International Pty Ltd., Golden Sixty--an A$120,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling turned NZ$300,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run breezer, took his overall winning streak to 14 during the season and to 17 from 18 overall, using his trademark...

On this day 12 months ago, jockey Vincent Ho guided Southern Legend (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) to an upset victory in the FWD Champions Mile, his first Group 1 score some 10 years removed from being named the champion apprentice rider in Hong Kong and about a month after throwing Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) across the line first in the prestigious BMW Hong Kong Derby. Sunday's FWD Champions Day program at Sha Tin, attended by the biggest on-track crowd since COVID-19 took hold last year, marked a...

Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) had to channel his inner Usain Bolt in Sunday's G1 Stewards' Cup at Sha Tin, as the 5-year-old sprinted his final half-mile in a mind-boggling :44.18 and final 400 metres in a staggering :21.80 to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. His record now stands at 16 starts for 15 wins and his 12th consecutive score draws him ever closer to the local record of 17 straight held by the legendary Silent Witness (Aus). Very little went according to script. With Zac Purton steering,...

Exiting an imperious victory in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile Dec. 13, Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) goes in search of his 12th consecutive victory and 15th from 16 starts overall when he takes on a field of mostly familiar faces in Sunday's G1 Stewards' Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse. Winner of seven straight during the 2019/2020 season, including a sweep of the 4-year-old Classics, the Queensland-bred gelding has yet to be tested in four runs this term and his Hong Kong Mile success came at the expense of...

History tells us that when one darling of the Hong Kong turf fades into the sunlight, almost invariably--though not to be taken for granted--another one appears. Fairy King Prawn (Aus) was the marquee Hong Kong galloper at the turn of the century and it wasn't long after that Silent Witness (Aus) took the jurisdiction by storm, embarking on a 17-race winning streak that included back-to-back runnings of the G1 Hong Kong Sprint in 2003-2004. A Derby win often paves the path to Hong Kong super-stardom, and such was the case...

A total of 39 horses representing Hong Kong, Japan, Ireland and France were entered and barriers drawn Thursday morning for Sunday's HK$95 million Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting at Sha Tin Racecourse. Although Boniface Ho's Classique Legend (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) has yet to win a race at Group 1 level--he is a multiple Group 2 winner in Australia--he is one of the marquee horses of this year's HKIR, having arrived in Hong Kong on the back of a dominating victory in the A$15-million The Everest at...

Barree Stable's Singapore-based Inferno (Aus) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) has been scratched from Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin after being found to be lame in his left front leg by Hong Kong Jockey Club veterinarians Tuesday. Very little went as planned for Inferno on his trip over to Hong Kong. The air conditioning in the horse float that transported Inferno from Kranji Racecourse to Changi Airport about 30 minutes away broke down and the horse was subjected to the heat for three hours. He then had...