Eighth Group One for Beauty Generation (NZ)

Two-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock) returned to his all-conquering best with a brilliant victory in Sunday’s HK$10 million Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin.

The winner of this race in 2018 and 2019, the superstar $60,000 Select Sale purchase and his regular rider Zac Purton enjoyed a handy run in fourth before angling out to make their run in the straight.

Beauty Generation stretched out powerfully in the last 300 metres, surging to the front and asserting his superiority to win by half a length. He is the first horse in history to win the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup three times.

“It probably didn’t really go to script,” Purton said. “We thought we might be able to lead, but Hot King Prawn (Denman) had too much speed for us early.

“I couldn’t take the position, so I had to ride him where I was and had belief in the horse. The stable said they thought they had him back to where we need him to be, and as always, John (Moore, trainer) was right.

“He got to the front and I thought he was going to cruise away and win easily, but being a little bit older and knowing what the game is about these days he just floated a little bit when he was in front. He’s happy just to win now, he doesn’t need to win by as far as he was before, in his mind.”

It was an eighth Group One victory for Beauty Generation, and the 19th win overall in his 36-start career. He has earned more than HK$92 million, which is the equivalent of NZ$18.4 million – more than 306 times his purchase price.

The champion galloper was bred by Nearco Stud and was raised and sold by Highden Park.