Group One Targets For Sha Tin Winners

Beauty Only has the G1 Champions Mile in his sights after his commanding victory in the HKG2 Chairman’s Trophy at Sha Tin on April 3.

Trainer Tony Cruz was exuding confidence in the five-year-old’s chances for that international showcase on May 1 after watching his charge draw a length and a quarter clear of runner-up Rewarding Hero.

“He’s a genuine Group 1 horse, I’ve believed that from day one, and this win gives me confidence for the Champions Mile,” said Cruz.

Beauty Only had not won since a 1400m Class 1 handicap score back in September. Last season’s HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile victor had posted some smart efforts in defeat since, including fourth in January’s G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) and third to Contentment in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m).

“He needs top of the ground,” said Cruz. “The faster the ground the better.”

Neil Callan settled the ex-Italian galloper sixth in the eight-runner field as stablemate Multivictory led them along, albeit somewhat reluctantly.

Turning for home, with Designs On Rome making a grinding move to his outer, Callan edged Beauty Only into clear running and popped the question.

The answer he received was a burst of speed that stole the lead at the 300m mark. The bay powered to the line in a final 400m split of 22.55s.

Beauty Only carried 123lb, five pounds less than the G1-penalised Designs On Rome who ran a smart prep for the G1 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup on April 24 in finishing two lengths third.

Secret Weapon took fourth as race favourite Contentment failed to fire in fifth.

• Lucky Bubbles has long had the look of a top-class sprinter in the making and Francis Lui’s charge is not far off the finished article after his win in the HKG2 Sprint Cup (1200m).

His exhilarating two-length triumph puts the four-year-old in the frame for next month’s G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize at the course and distance.

“When I put him down he just lengthened so much further than I’d felt him do for a long time,” said jockey Brett Prebble.

“For a little horse he just covers so much ground. That’s probably why he’s so good.

“Ï’ve been very fortunate to ride some very good sprinters in my time and he’s coming along, I’ll tell you.

“For a young horse he does it at the front end and then he shows that turn of foot at the back end. It’s hard for them to do that at both ends of the race.”

The John Size-trained Amazing Kids was unable to match Lucky Bubbles’ kick and kept on for second, a neck ahead of Ricky Yiu’s talented young gun, Packing Pins.

Lui has given his charge time to develop through the grades. Today’s win came was his fifth in 10 HK starts and came off only a two-week back-up, the gelding having scored a Class 1 win on 20 March.

“I was a little bit worried because he has never had such a quick back-up.

“Now he has a month break to the Chairman’s Sprint Prize, so that should be ideal. Hopefully he can measure up against those older Group 1 horses but he is a classy runner,” said the trainer.

“It will be a tough test but I hope he can further improve and prove to be a Group 1 sprinter going forward.”