Beauty Eternal crowned an incredible debut season with victory in the HK$3.9 million Group 3 Premier Cup Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, pushing John Size and Zac Purton closer to respective trainer and jockey championships.
The win also completed successive Group 3 victories for Beauty Eternal to enhance his outstanding overall record to seven wins from 10 starts. He also boasts a third in this year's Hong Kong Derby (2000m) and has never been out of the money with two other placings.
With seven wins this season, Beauty Eternal has ventured into the upper reaches of sustained success in a Hong Kong season. Only Beauty Generation and Lucky Sweynesse have won more in a single season with eight after Lucky Sweynesse – the world's top-rated sprinter – equalled the record this season.
Beauty Eternal will not attempt to chase the record, with Size saying the gelding will now have a break and return for the new racing season.
The Starspangledbanner chestnut wore the distinctive black, pink and white silks of owner Patrick Kwok, who also raced superstar Beauty Generation.
But it wasn't a runaway victory for the gelding which was forced to work hard for the win from Circuit Stellar (118lb) and Healthy Happy (124lb). Last year's winner, Beauty Joy (135lb), settled at the rear of the field but never looked a winning chance but did run home strongly to finish fourth in the six-horse field.
The race was slowly run in the early and middle stages which forced a sprint home. Purton had Beauty Eternal running in third after the jump, allowing outsiders Kurpany (119lb) and Healthy Happy to dictate the terms in front, with Circuit Stellar in fourth.
Healthy Happy, which showed plenty of grit to hold onto third place, hit the lead when Kurpany dropped out sharply in the straight, leaving Beauty Eternal to make up half a length in a dogged finish with challenger Circuit Stellar finishing strongly but was unable to nab the winner.
The margins were a neck by a neck.
2023 Group 3 Premier Cup Handicap Replay – Beauty Eternal
Purton said he was forced to work on Beauty Eternal in the closing stages.
“They sort of backed the speed off mid-race and my bloke wanted to do too much and pull himself into the ground and they made it that sprint home,” Purton said.
“All these good horses can run home in very good sectionals so you are never going to gap them in those circumstances.”
Asked if there was further improvement to come from Beauty Eternal, Purton said: “I hope. I don't know. Next season we'll find out.”
Size also said the slow pace of the race made Beauty Eternal work hard to win.
“It was a good win,” he said. “I suppose all wins are (good).
“They ran a bit of a slow sectional during the race and sort of made him sprint home and it was probably full stretch to sort of get there. So, I thought it was a tricky little race and he did a good job to get away with it.”
Size agreed that the tempo of the race probably didn't suit the gelding, but said “the good ones” overcome these things.
“And he has done that and has got the win,” he said. “He'll have a break now I'd say and then see what he is like at home with a bit of time off.”
Beauty Eternal's stablemate, Red Lion (120lb), was the second fancy in the race but only beat home the early leader Kurpany.
Jockey Alexis Badel said the early pace was very slow but Red Lion, which can race keenly, was relaxed and while he was fighting for second, he hit a flat spot at the end.
The win was the first of a Group 3 double for Size and Purton this afternoon, who later claimed the Group 3 Premier Plate Handicap (1800m) in tandem with Tuchel.