Superstar Select Sale graduate Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock) is building a reputation as one of Hong Kong’s all-time great milers, and he gave that growing reputation another big boost in Sunday’s HK$10 million Group 1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) at Sha Tin.
Already a multiple Group 1 winner and Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year last season, Beauty Generation is unbeaten in five starts in 2018-19 – all at stakes level, all spectacularly dominant performances, and all in blistering time.
Sunday was his first start since he successfully defended his Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) title with a three-length romp in December. The Stewards’ Cup produced a victory by the same margin.
Regular rider Zac Purton sent the six-year-old straight to the lead and the race appeared to be in safe keeping a long way out. Beauty Generation kicked powerfully in the straight to open up by three lengths, stopping the clock at 1:33.51.
Trainer John Moore has overseen the careers of some of Hong Kong’s greats, but he has no doubt where Beauty Generation belongs on that list.
“He’s the best of the lot,” he said.
Purton believes his champion mount could have won a lot more easily if required.
“He was coasting, there was a bit more there,” he said. “He had a bit of a let-up after the Hong Kong Mile and John had him on the way back up today. He’s not far off his top and he’s just shown that.”
Beauty Generation is now the winner of 14 of his 27 starts, along with another seven placings. He has earned more than HK$66.3 million, which is the equivalent of NZ$12.56 million – more than 208 times his purchase price.
Moore is keen to showcase Beauty Generation’s talents on the world stage.
“I’d love to travel him, but it’s so important that I fit into the route that the Kwok family wants to take,” he said.
“I know their Grand Final is the Champions Mile (in April), so that’s our number one focus now – my job is to get him ready for that.
“If he wins the Champions Mile, it’ll be down to the family as to whether we go to Japan for the Yasuda Kinen or we put him away for next season. It’s always up to the owner.”
Carlaw Park will offer a Tavistock half-sister to Beauty Generation as Lot 443 in Book 1 of Karaka 2019.
