Hong Kong Jockey Club
Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock) was drawn widest of 13 in Sunday’s (1 October) G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m), but was acceded the lead after 200m and was not for catching under jockey Derek Leung, leading every step after that to secure a first success at pattern level.
“That was just a case of a New Zealand horse loving any cut in the ground, which he got today,” said trainer John Moore after the second of consecutive Group 3 wins from his stable at the meeting.
“Originally, the instructions were to ride him back, but when Mother Nature opened the heavens up and we got a bit of cushion into the track, I said to Derek, go ahead to the lead.”
Both Winner’s Way and New Asia Sunrise broke alertly but soon took back in deference to 17/1 outsider Beauty Generation, who was winning in Hong Kong for the third time in eight starts.
“He jumped well from the gate and I didn’t need to use too much of him to get the lead in front,” said Leung, who was winning the first international pattern race of his career. “The others did not pressure me and the key to the win was really his stamina. He’d run in longer races last season and even though this was a drop back in trip, he had the stamina to see it out late.”
Seasons Bloom was dispatched the favourite after an easy Class 1 handicap win over 1200m on 3 September and rallied late to finish second, one and a half lengths behind the front-running winner.
“It was a fantastic run,” said jockey Joao Moreira. “He had a beautiful run through, saved ground on the fence, but was just beaten by a better horse on the day.”
“Looking ahead, I will speak to the owners and see if they will let me keep Beauty Generation at a mile, I think that’s probably his best distance. If so, he will come back in the 1600m Group 3 later this month,” said Moore, referring to the Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy. “Booming Delight will probably do the same.
Beauty Generation’s win made it consecutive scores in the Celebration Cup for John Moore, having trained Joyful Trinity to success in the race a season ago. Moore partnered with Vincent Ho to land the G3 National Day Cup earlier on the card with 24/1 outsider Dashing Fellow.
Beauty Generation was a $60,000 purchase from the Highden Park draft at the Select session of the 2014 NZB National Yearling Sale. He commenced his career in Australia under the name Montaigne where he had seven starts that produced two wins along with a runner-up finish in the Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas behind Tarzino (NZ) (Tavistock) before finishing fourth to Preferment (NZ) (Zabeel) in the Gr.1 The BMW.