Beauty Generation brushed aside Ka Ying Star and shrugged off old rival Southern Legend to win the Gr.2 Chairman’s Trophy. The New Zealand-bred gelding is expected to make the three-peat in the Gr.1 Champions Mile at the end of the month.
This was the 18th victory for the Hong Kong-based galloper, whose career tally now matches the great Silent Witness. He also pushed his own record prize money haul past HK$100 million.
The mile feature was billed as a match between Beauty Generation and the circuit’s rising mile star, Waikuku, with the latter having defeated the former the last four times they had met.
Chad Schofield kicked Ka Ying Star to a two-length lead approaching the home straight but Zac Purton remained patient on Beauty Generation. The Australian allowed the two-time Horse of the year to reel in the leader without urging and when the arms began to pump at the 250m point, the powerful bay responded.
The 7YO rallied to the fight when Southern Legend edged into view on his outer and imposed his well-earned authority through the final 100m, with Purton relaxing his biceps for the final two strides.
Purton was just a hint less coy than usual about whether or not the win had increased his confidence that Beauty Generation will confirm the victory in the Champions Mile.
The Champions Mile on carries a purse of HK$20 million with HK$11.4 million to the winner. With the ongoing Coronavirus situation making the participation of overseas horses unlikely, Beauty Generation stands a good chance of pulling off the hat-trick – but he might have to see off another rising star, the brilliant BMW Hong Kong Derby winner Golden Sixty.
Golden Sixty’s trainer Francis Lui is expected to make a decision in the next week about his exciting’s charge’s Champions Day participation.
Full Finishing list 2020: 1st Beauty Generation (J. Moore, Z. Purton), 2nd Ka Ying Star (A. Cruz, C. Schofield),3rd Southern Legend (C. Fownes, G. Van Niekerk), 4th Furore (F. Lor, B. Shinn),5th Flying Thunder (F. Lor, K. Teetan),6th Waikuku (J. Size, J. Moreira),7th Fat Turtle (F. Lor, V. Ho)