Wunderbar return creates excitement after Celebration Cup suspension stop | HK Racing

In recent years, the result of the Group Three Celebration Cup (1400m) has often generated great excitement with a view to bigger and better things later in the season.

Golden Scenery’s victory in the first group race of the season on Sunday does not fit into this category.

While Golden Sixty, California Spangle and Beauty Generation (twice) won the Celebration Cup on their way to victory in the Group One Hong Kong Mile less than three months later, it is very, very unlikely that The Golden Scenery will follow suit.

Trainer Tony Cruz said this himself and admitted: “I’m not very confident that he will move up to Group Two or anything like that.”

The Golden Scenery has been a great horse for many connections, there’s no doubt about that, and he has now won over HK$17 million in prize money, but chances are we have just witnessed the peak of the seven-year-old’s career.

Outside of The Golden Scenery, placed Taj Dragon and Healthy Happy are both well placed at Group One level and have proven to be a step or two below the best.

The only galloper who looked like he might be on an upward spiral, the $1.90 favourite Chiu Chow Spirit, was unable to put on his best performance after running around the outside for most of the contest under Alexis Badel. The French jockey may wish he could have done it all over again.

Three races later, the highly acclaimed Young Champion failed to impress in the second highest competition of the day, the Class Two Woodpecker Handicap (1,200 m).

Trainer John Size described Young Champion as “an exciting horse for a lot of people,” but there were excuses: an X-ray showed that he had a significant amount of blood in his windpipe and there were doubts about the suitability of the forgiving race track.

Fortunately for racing fans, there was one performance in between that seemed to have real substance.

While the strength of Wunderbar’s victory in the Class Three Tailorbird Handicap (1200m) under top weight on his first run since January is cause for excitement in itself, it is this galloper’s delicious form lines and potential ability that really have people talking.

Wunderbar has been beaten only once in six starts, by Mugen, a Group Three winner rated at 110 who will contest the Group One Sprinters Stakes (1200m) in Japan this Sunday.

Even better is the fact that Wunderbar has twice beaten Ka Ying Rising, who has shot up to a rating of 119 and is already considered by some to be one of the best sprinters in the world. He is certainly the early favourite for the Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) in December.

Although Wunderbar still has some work to do before he can compete in the Group One class, it may not be long before Zac Purton – who rode Wunderbar in his opening win on Sunday and Ka Ying Rising two weeks ago – has to make a decision.

Surprise victory at the Sixty’s farewell

While a social media post by Francis Lui Kin-wai on Friday raised hopes that we might see the veteran coach sitting on Golden Sixty at his farewell ceremony on Sunday, the fact that he kept his feet firmly on the ground and did not take inspiration from charismatic Japanese coach Yoshito Yahagi ultimately mattered.

On a wet and dreary afternoon, there was a real buzz around the Sha Tin parade ring as fans bid farewell to their hero. It felt like a fitting send-off.

What was incredible, however, was the fact that Romantic Warrior – just like the week before – was featured on the cover of the Jockey Club’s official race book.

It may be a small thing, but a little more attention to detail on such a significant day from an organisation with the resources of the Jockey Club would certainly not go amiss.

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