The Group II BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday produced a trifecta for Australian bred milers with Starspangledbanner gelding Beauty Eternal snatching a narrow win over Beauty Joy (Sebring) with Hong Kong Derby winner Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) in third place.
Trained by John Size and ridden by Zac Purton, Beauty Eternal took the lead after turning for home and fought hard to the line to win by a head.
“They went a decent tempo and he came into the race nicely. He had no horse to run at and he was there to get shot down. To his credit, he was able to kick and win the race,” Size said. “He probably learned a bit more about racing today.”
Beauty Eternal is now an eight-time winner from 12 starts. Last season he was honoured as Most Improved Horse (2022/23) in Hong Kong after rising 65 rating points.
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The five-year-old’s earnings now sit at HK$18.15 million and he is expected to chase a significant boost to that figure in the HK$32 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) when he faces Hong Kong’s current champion Golden Sixty for the first time.
“We’ll see how he pulls up after this race, and that will give me a guide on what to do between now and 10 December.
“He went to the race in good condition and should come out of it nicely. It’s always nice for the owners who contribute so much to get some nice results,” Size said.
A $90,000 Inglis Classic Highway Session purchase for John Foote Bloodstock from the Fernrigg Farm draft, Beauty Eternal is a half-brother to Group III placed Love Sensation and is the best of three winners from Ithacan Queen. A placed daughter of Savabeel, Ithacan Queen comes from a deep European Black Type family featuring Group I winners such as Crowded House, Brando, Ticker Tape and Reckless Abandon.
The success of Beauty Eternal, who races in the famous ‘Beauty’ silks of owner Patrick Kwok, has come as no surprise to Fernrigg’s Rae Louise Kelly, who felt the chestnut was always destined for success.
“He was a very nice colt and was well found at the sale, but he wasn’t an early horse and was going to need a bit of time,” Kelly said.
“A few interested parties were guarded on his pedigree, but of course Starspangledbanner’s fortunes have soared since then and it’s a great compliment to any horse when an esteemed judge like John Foote puts his hand up to bid.
“I understand they are going to target the G1 Mile at the International meeting next month with him which is exciting and hopefully he can become another G1 winner to have come through our sales drafts.’’
Fernrigg Farm will offer a draft of eight yearlings at the Classic Sale in 2024 including colts by the likes of Capitalist, Tassort, Farnan, Tagaloa and King’s Legacy.
Beauty Eternal is the second stakes-winner in Hong Kong for Starspangledbanner, who is back at Coolmore Australia this spring at a fee of $33,000.
