By Alan Carasso
Zac Purton rode Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}) to two wins and a third placing in the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) from seven starts last season, but it was local product Derek Leung in the plate for his first five runs this term. The results included a ground-breaking score in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile in December, but he was only seventh when last seen in the Stewards' Cup. Beauty Generation was regaining the services of Purton for Sunday's G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) and the duo teamed to just outslug favoured Beat the Clock (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}), with the similarly progressive Fifty Fifty (NZ) (Thorn Park {Aus}) back in third.
Put right into the race by Purton, Beauty Generation was part of a four-way battle for early supremacy and eventually settled just off the flank of Peniaphobia (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) as Fifty Fifty and the well-backed, 1331-pound Pingwu Spark (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), retreated into stalking roles. The subject of significant late tote action, Beauty Generation appeared to have the pacesetter when he wanted and pushed the button at the top of the stretch, but Beat the Clock and Fifty Fifty were poised in behind. Similar to the race prior, Purton had company–this time to his inside–in the form of Beat the Clock, but Beauty Generation refused to lay down and clawed his way under the line first. Purton was happy to give an assist to Beat the Clock's rider Joao Moreira.
“He was headed, but he waits for the other horses to come to him a little bit,” Purton told Andrew Hawkins of the HKJC. “He gives a bit of a kick and then he just wanders. I think I have Joao to thank, though. He snuck up on my inside, quiet as a church mouse, but as he got on level terms, he roared at his horse–but my horse kicked!”
Like Time Warp, Beauty Generation was entered for the G1 Dubai Turf, but in all likelihood, he too will remain at home.
“He's been [invited], but I'd have to speak to [owner] Patrick [Kwok] and his father about this horse and whether they want to travel or not,” he said. “That's probably not a great chance, so he will probably have one run before the [G1] Champions Mile [Apr. 29], but he would be a good hope over the 1800m in Dubai.”
Pedigree Notes:
Beauty Generation's unraced dam, by the sire of Black Caviar (Aus), is a half-sister to SW & GSP Savage Attack (Aus) (Made of Gold) and SW & MGSP Victory Trump (Aus) (Euclase {Aus}). Her most recent foal is a 2-year-old colt by Echoes of Heaven (Aus) who fetched NZ$60,000 at the NZB Select Yearling Sale last February. Stylish Bel was most recently covered by Tavistock (NZ). Beauty Generation is the first top-level scorer for his sire (by Encosta de Lago {Aus}), part-owned and trained by Anthony Cummings to victories in the 2009 G1 George Ryder S. and as the favourite in the 2010 G1 Queen Elizabeth S. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
QUEEN'S SILVER JUBILEE CUP-G1, HK$10,000,000 (£915,969/€1,037,042/A$1,629,499/US$1,278,067), Sha Tin, 2-25, 3yo/up, 1400mT, 1:20.86, gd.
1-BEAUTY GENERATION (NZ), 126, g, 5, by Road to Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: Stylish Bel (Aus), by Bel Esprit (Aus)
2nd Dam: Stylish Victory (Aus), by Durham Ranger
3rd Dam: Romantic Peace (Aus), by Mikado (Aus)
(NZ$60,000 Ylg '14 NZBSEL). O-Patrick Kwok; B-Nearco Stud Limited; T-John Moore; J-Zac Purton; HK$5,700,000. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Aus, 21-8-3-4, HK$31,530,720. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Beat the Clock (Aus), 126, g, 4, Hinchinbrook (Aus)–Flion Fenena (Aus), by Lion Hunter. (A$70,000 Ylg '15 INGMEL; NZ$200,000 2yo '15 NZBRTR). O-Merrick Chung; B-Miss J Henderson (NSW); T-John Size; HK$2,200,000.
3–Fifty Fifty (NZ), 126, g, 5, Thorn Park (Aus)–Udiditagain (NZ), by D'Cash (Aus). (NZ$75,000 Ylg '14 NZBSEL). O-Lee Wan Keung & Lee Wong Wai Kuen; B-Miss J M, K J & Mrs M L Shaw; T-Peter Ho; HK$1,000,000.
Margins: HD, 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 39-10, 11-5, 23-5.
Also Ran: Giant Treasure, Beauty Only (Ire), Pingwu Spark (NZ), Helene Paragon (Fr), Western Express (Aus), Southern Legend (Aus), Joyful Trinity (Ire), Peniaphobia (Ire).
Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO.
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