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Some famous horses have won the Longines Hong Kong Mile run at Sha Tin on Sunday.
There was a tremendous clash in 2000 as Sunline held off Fairy King Prawn. You’d love to see that sort of race again in the 2018 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
2018 HONG KONG MILE - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The Longines Hong Kong Mile is a Group 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for the milers at Sha Tin conducted by Hong Kong Jockey Club.
It is run as part of the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) meeting run in December each year.
The Longines Hong Kong Mile is run over 1600m. It was first run in 1991 and was won by Additional Risk.
The first runnings were as the International Bowl and run over the 1400m.
It was a Group 3 in 1994 then Group 2 before it became a Group 1 from 1999 when stepped up to the mile.
Most wins by a Trainer (3): Tony Cruz and John Moore.
Most wins by a Jockey (3): Olivier Doleuze.
Good Ba Ba won three straight Longines Hong Kong Miles while Monopolize from Australia scored twice.
Australian horses won three in a row from 1995/1996/1997. After Monopolize, Catalan Opening swept home for legends Darren Beadman and Bart Cummings.
One of the great editions was in 2000. Dual Cox Plate winner Sunline took on the local champ Fairy King Prawn and they cleared out for a soul stirring battle as the “horse of Hong Kong came after the mare of the world”.
Beauty Generation won multiple G1s following his 2017 victory.
The Longines Hong Kong Mile is worth HK$25m in 2018.
Notable winners of the Longines Hong Kong Mile include Beauty Generation (2017), Maurice (2015), Able Friend (2014), Ambitious Dragon (2012), Able One (2011), Good Ba Ba (2007/2008/2009), Lucky Owners (2003), Sunline (2000), Jim And Tonic (1998), Catalan Opening (1997) and Monopolize (1995/1996).
The 2017 Longines Hong Kong Mile was won by Beauty Generation from Western Express and Helene Paragon.
