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Golden Sixty heading for a spell; Milestone win for Purton; Return to British racing to remain on hold; Hopes high for resumption of French racing
Golden Sixty heading for a spell
Golden Sixty was the talk of Happy Valley on Wednesday night with trainer Francis Lui revealing that his sensational Hong Kong Derby (2000m) hero will not contest the Gr.1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) on April 26.
"He won't run," Lui said. "He's achieved a lot this season and we feel he needs a rest now to refresh his mind and let him develop. He'll have a summer break and then we'll prepare him for next season."
Golden Sixty dominated the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, winning all three legs, and will down tools for a well-deserved break with a record of seven wins this term from as many starts.
Golden Sixty was purchased by Lui out of Riversley Park's 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale for $300,000.
Milestone win for Purton
Jockey Zac Purton brought up his fifth Hong Kong century at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
"The target at the start of the season is always 100 and I think if you ride that amount of winners you've had a very good season," Purton said. "It's not easy to do – only three jockeys in history have done it in Hong Kong."
The milestone victory came in a thrilling finale, the Class 2 Cedar Handicap (1800m), that pitted the two great rivals in an all-out tussle through the final 500m.
The champion jockey aboard the New Zealand-bred Dances With Dragon slip-streamed jockey Joao Moreira's back-stretch advance on Enrichment and enjoyed a slingshot run to the lead at the top of the home straight, only for the Brazilian's mount to rally and press him all the way to the line.
"I just got a lovely drag into the race on his back," Purton said. "They slowed the pace right off, we made the move at the right time and we had a good battle up the straight. It was good to get one over him again."
Dances With Dragon raced as Hall of Fame in New Zealand for the Te Akau Racing partnership of Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, winning five races including the 2017 Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m).
Return to British racing to remain on hold
Racing in Great Britain will remain on hold beyond the end of April after the British Horseracing Authority extended its suspension on meetings.
Action ceased on March 18 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the BHA announcing a halt to all fixtures until at least May 1.
The Government subsequently introduced the current lockdown measures across the country and with those restrictions expected to be extended, the BHA has announced the hold will remain in place until an as yet unspecified date.
While a new date has not been set for ending the suspension, the BHA said plans are in place so racing is ready to resume as soon as permitted.
"The BHA has been working with trainers, racecourses and other participants to develop a phased plan for resumption which will allow the sport to transition back to its normal fixture list later in the year," a BHA statement said.
"We remain in constant contact with government and are ready to respond quickly.
"Our plans continue to allow for a resumption in May, if that is possible. We assume it would be behind closed doors only, at a point when the safety of participants can be assured and the pressure on the health service allows.
"Tough biosecurity measures would be in place to keep any risks to a minimum."
The BHA is also anticipating restrictions on mass gatherings to continue and said it has decided that racing with crowds will not be possible until June at the earliest.
The last major fixture was last month's four-day Cheltenham Festival attended by 250,000 people.
BHA chief executive Nick Rust believes the correct course of action is to prolong the suspension until the safety of participants is assured.
"We stopped racing in March to protect the health and safety of the public and to limit demands on the NHS," he said.
"It's right to continue this suspension until the pressure on the NHS allows for a resumption and we can assure the safety of those taking part.
"We are in touch with government as part of our development of a responsible, coordinated plan for the return of sport when it's appropriate to do so.
"We'll continue to develop a range of options drawing on the expertise of our participants and racecourses."
Hopes high for resumption of French racing
France Galop remains hopeful of resuming racing behind closed doors in May.
French racing was staged without spectators last month before France Galop announced a suspension of meetings between March 17 and April 15 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
While French President Emmanuel Macron has extended the country's lockdown until May 11, France Galop and LeTROT, which is the governing body of trotting racing, are in discussion with the government authorities to explore the possibility of a return to racing behind closed doors as quickly as possible.
"Before horse racing was suspended, the industry had shown its ability to organise meetings behind closed doors whilst maintaining an excellent level of risk prevention of spreading the virus," France Galop said in a statement.
"In the context of racing behind closed doors, access to the racecourse had been strictly limited to a minimum of professionals who are essential for the organisation of a race meeting.
"Also, since the beginning of the lockdown, training activities at the different training centres in Paris and in the provinces, have been carried out in the strictest conformity with the instructions and rules of social distancing."
Funding for the sport is one issue that is under discussion, with PMU cafes, the main betting locations in the country, closed and unlikely to open when initial restrictions are lifted.
