Beauty Only stormed to an impressive victory in last month’s HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile to emerge as the front runner in this season’s four-year-old division. On Sunday (15 February), the rising star will attempt to confirm that superiority in the HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m).
Only one horse has ever managed to win both races. That was Floral Pegasus, who succeeded in 2007 when the Hong Kong Classic Cup was known as the HKG2 Hong Kong Derby Trial. Beauty Only’s trainer, Tony Cruz, was the man who plotted those triumphs and he is pleased with his latest star’s progress going into Sunday.
“Everything is going according to plan with his training. He’s had no hiccups; he’s very easy to train,” said Cruz.
Beauty Only is one of 15 entries for the second leg of the Hong Kong Four-Year-Old Series. With the first leg, the Hong Kong Classic Mile, already locked away, the Holy Roman Emperor gelding is chasing history. Should the Italian import win Sunday’s 1800m contest and then add the HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m), he would be the first to win all three races. Floral Pegasus failed by a nose in the Derby.
Several of the Hong Kong Classic Mile vanquished are slated to re-oppose: Giant Treasure (3rd), Thunder Fantasy (5th), Helene Happy Star (6th), Gonna Run (7th) and Savvy Nature (8th). And a fresh batch, late to the party, are primed to test themselves as they take the next step on the road to next month’s Derby: the likes of Got Fly, Obliterator, Redkirk Warrior, Contentment, Romantic Touch, Golden Sleep, Twin Delight and Top Ace. Travel First is first reserve.
Cruz is assured in his belief that Beauty Only remains the one to beat: “He won impressively last time and he’s definitely an improving horse, so he’s just getting better all the time. The step up to 1800m isn’t a worry to me - I think he’ll handle that without a problem. He showed in the Classic Mile what a good horse he is and really he is the horse the others are now aiming to beat.”
Past winners of Hong Kong Classic Cup (since 2006)
