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Belardo’s hot run continues; Oliver to ride Savabeel colt in Guineas; Golden Sixty takes the Celebration Cup
Belardo's hot run continues
Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Belardo has a new Group winner to his credit with Elysium winning the Gr.3 Weld Park Stakes (1400m) at the Curragh on Sunday.
A maiden winner in June, Elysium showed a good turn of foot to beat Aunty Bridy by a length and a half.
The win continues a strong run of results from Belardo's first northern hemisphere crop, with smart filly Isabella Giles leading the charge with her Group Two victory at Newmarket last week.
Based at Kildangan Stud in the Northern Hemisphere, Belardo, the European champion two-year-old, began shuttle duties at Haunui Farm in 2017 and is standing his fourth season at the Karaka farm in 2020.
He is the only son of Lope De Vega at stud in Australasia and stands for a fee of $10,000+GST.
Oliver to ride Savabeel colt in Guineas
Champion jockey Damien Oliver has secured the prime ride on rising star Mo'unga for the Caulfield Guineas.
The Chris Waller-trained three-year-old has established himself as one of Australia's most exciting horses following eye-catching wins at Newcastle and Rosehill this preparation.
The son of Savabeel, owned by Aquis, booked his ticket to the Guineas with an impressive win in the Listed Dulcify Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill earlier this month.
He moved into $6.50 for the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on the back of that performance.
Oliver, who notched his 120th Group One win on Saturday when successful on Russian Camelot, hasn't won the Caulfield Guineas since Centra in 1990.
Golden Sixty takes the Celebration Cup
New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale graduate Golden Sixty kicked off his five-year-old campaign with an effortless victory in the Gr.3 Celebration Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Golden Sixty took the first step on his path toward the 2020 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races at the same time thwarting Beauty Generation's tilt at a fourth straight triumph in the race.
With his devastating turn-of-foot on display once again, the newly turned five-year-old made it eight wins in a row, following on from his Four-Year-Old Classic Series clean sweep which culminated with Derby glory.
"I think at the moment he is the best horse that I have trained," trainer Francis Lui said. "He'll step up in distance to 1600m now and then of course the target is the Hong Kong International Races."
Lui purchased Golden Sixty out of Riversley Park's 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale draft for $300,000 after Riversley Park principal Sam Beatson and friend Ben Foote had pinhooked the son of Medaglia d'Oro as a yearling for A$120,000.
Golden Sixty made the most of the 7.5kgs he received off the two-time Horse of the Year, Beauty Generation, who finished a dead-heat second alongside Champion's Way by one- and three-quarter lengths.
"It's very exciting to be back on him (Golden Sixty), he felt great and fresh today - once I got a clear run I knew he'd run them down," jockey Vincent Ho said.
"I think he is one of the best horses in Hong Kong at the moment."
The December riches on offer for Golden Sixty are the $25 million Hong Kong Mile or the HK$28 million Hong Kong Cup, should Lui opt to step up to the Derby distance of 2000m again.
