Beauty Bolt emerged with enhanced standing on the Road to the Derby after a brave third placing in the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile, a performance that hinted strongly at unfinished business as the Four-Year-Old Classic Series gathers momentum.
With less than three weeks until the second leg of the Road to the Derby – the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) on 1 March – and the 149th Hong Kong Derby (2000m) looming on 22 March, Tony Cruz’s galloper has positioned himself as a genuine contender rather than a fringe player.
The Classic Mile unfolded at a searching tempo, and Beauty Bolt was forced to work early after jumping from a wide draw. Ridden positively by James McDonald, he travelled outside the leader Winfield before asserting himself at the 300-metre mark. For a moment, the race looked his to win.
That move, however, came at a cost. Despite recording the equal-fastest sectional of the contest – a slick 22.09 seconds between the 1200m and 800m – Beauty Bolt was reeled in late, only giving ground inside the final 75 metres. Little Paradise stormed home from midfield to win, with Infinite Resolve following a similar path into second, while Beauty Bolt held on gamely for third and proved the best of those who raced on the speed.
“He went superb, he just floated in front,” McDonald said afterward, summing up a run that drew admiration despite the narrow defeat.
It marked the most prominent position Beauty Bolt has occupied in his eight Hong Kong appearances, a tactical shift born more from circumstance than design. Cruz acknowledged that the wide draw dictated the approach and hopes a kinder gate in the Classic Cup will allow the gelding to settle more comfortably.
“They went fast enough and he hit the front very easily – too easily – and then got lost,” Cruz explained. “Because we had the bad draw, we had to go further forward than we might have liked. He was in front for too long and didn’t know what to do.
“He likes to chase horses. If he can have a few more horses in front of him and a fast pace, he could beat them. If we can keep him covered up for longer, I’m sure he can run the 1800 metres.”
The Irish-bred son of Night Of Thunder, purchased by the Kwok family after an impressive Dundalk maiden victory, rose three points to a mark of 88 following his Classic Mile effort. That rating now gives Cruz room to carefully map out the Road to the Derby without needing to chase further points.
Road to the Derby Picture Takes Shape
Cruz has enjoyed success in the opening leg of the series before, winning the Classic Mile with Beauty Flash in 2010 and Beauty Only in 2015 for the same ownership. The remaining legs, however, have so far eluded the powerful combination.
“I won twice for them in the Classic Mile and now it’s time to try and win a Classic Cup,” Cruz said.
Others are still scrambling to secure their place. Several four-year-olds made rating gains at Sha Tin last week, including Emblazon, Galactic Voyage and Flow Water Flow. Yet it was Numbers who made the clearest statement, capturing the Group 3 Centenary Vase (1800m) and announcing himself as a leading Classic Cup contender.
Attention will also turn to this weekend’s restricted Class 3 contest over 1600 metres, where emerging names such as Glittering Legend, Shanwah, Lucky Sam Gor and Natural Numbers will attempt to force their way into the broader Road to the Derby conversation.
With form lines tightening and distances stretching, Beauty Bolt’s Classic Mile performance may yet be remembered as the run that set up a deeper campaign rather than defined its limits.
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