Former world #1 Golden Sixty, the racing’s all-time highest prize-money earner and one of the greatest champions in the history of the sport in Hong Kong, has been retired.
Confirming news that was widely forecast, owner Stanley Chan confirmed the three-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year’s retirement on Friday [Sept 13] with an announcement at trainer Francis Lui’s Sha Tin stable.
Lui commented: “It has been an honour to train such an extraordinary horse. Golden Sixty has brought immense pride to our stable and to Hong Kong racing. His fighting heart is unmatched.”
Chan added: “Golden Sixty has been more than just a racehorse to me and my family; he has been a companion, a friend, and a true champion. Watching him compete has been one of the greatest joys of my life.
“I want to thank everyone who has been a part of his journey – his dedicated team, the fans and, most importantly, Golden Sixty himself for giving us unforgettable moments.”
With career earnings of HK$167.17m ($12.44m/£16.31m), the Australian-bred Medaglia d’Oro gelding eclipsed Winx’s mark to break the world prize-money record.
While he never raced abroad, Golden Sixty won 26 of his 31 career starts in Hong Kong, among them ten G1 events including three editions of the Hong Kong Mile at the Longines HKIR in December.
He spent a total of ten weeks at the #1 position in Thoroughbred Racing Commentary’s Global Rankings, encompassing three separate stints at the top. He is one of 25 individual horses to head the list since we started compiling racehorse classifications in 2014.
His most recent spell at the top ended in April this year when he was succeeded by HK compatriot Romantic Warrior after a below-par fourth place on yielding ground as he sought a historic four-timer in the FWD Champions Mile – a race destined to provide the final outing of a glorious career.
Golden Sixty is known as the ‘Pride of Hong Kong’ – a testament to his standing as the hometown hero of HK racing throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Golden Sixty’s accolades include: Horse of the Year (2020/21, 2021/22 & 2022/23), Most Popular Horse of the Year (2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22 & 2022/23), Champion Miler (2020/21, 2021/22 & 2022/23), Champion Four-Year-Old (2019/20) and Champion Middle-Distance Horse (2020/21).
Golden Sixty also swept the 2020 Four-Year-Old Classic Series, comprising the HK Classic Mile, HK Classic Cup and BMW HK Derby, as only the second horse to accomplish the feat after Rapper Dragon (2017). Returning as a five-year-old, Golden Sixty secured four of his record 10 career G1 triumphs, which also formed part of a 16-race unbeaten streak – one shy of Silent Witness’s Hong Kong record (17).
Jockey Vincent Ho was ever-present across Golden Sixty’s extraordinary career, which started in 2019 as an unraced three-year-old before concluding in 2024 aged nine. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ride such an amazing horse,” said the rider.
“He is not just a phenomenal athlete but also a horse with a big heart. I want to thank him for trusting me on the track and for all the incredible experiences we shared. He will always hold a very special place in my heart.”
The Hong Kong Jockey Club will host a Golden Sixty retirement ceremony at the Celebration Cup race meeting on September 22.
Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO, said: “Golden Sixty is one of the all-time greats in the history of Hong Kong racing. His exceptional ability to accelerate and dominate against not only the best of Hong Kong but also a string of world-class international contenders makes him a horse of a lifetime.”
Golden Sixty will now head to Australia before retiring permanently at Northern Farm in Hokkaido, Japan.
This report includes content from the Hong Kong Jockey Club media team
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