THE MOUSE GOT AWAY WITH THE CHEESE. IT MUST FEEL SO GOOD! JUST ASK ZAC PURTON

By Darren Winningham | Monday, December 12, 2022

Prior to the running of the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (Group 1) run on Sunday I sat down and wrote a yarn based on the jockey’s feedback given to me in separate two separate interviews with Vincent Ho, who was aboard the Hong Kong champion Golden Sixty, and Zac Purton who was aboard California Spangle, the horse that nearly beat Golden Sixty in their previous clash in the G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m).

I suggested in the build-up to Sunday that Purton aboard California Spangle would be the mouse – being stalking and possibly ready to be pounced upon and eaten up by Golden Sixty and Vincent Ho over the concluding stages.

The race began by playing out much as I expected ... California Spangle leading with Zac controlling the pace and the race ... until, all of a sudden, along came the stable mate Beauty Joy with Hugh Bowman aboard to make what appeared to be a surge and install some speed into the race around the 800-metre mark, after travelling three wide, to take up the running.

To the naked eye, watching from the winning post. I thought the forward move from Bowman may have helped seal the win for Golden Sixty. however, on analysis, the sectional times may in fact have been the undoing of Golden Sixty as they seemed to remain at an even pace.

With the sectionals for the race coming in at 25.01, then 22.51, then 22.54 and finally 23.25 it appears that the speed did not change significantly and that they seemed to keep at an even speed in the mid=sections of the race.

When asked during his on-track post-race interview if he had been happy when Beauty Joy circled the field and went past California Spangle, Purton said: “Not really, no. Tony (Cruz) wouldn’t have been either, but we’ve won.”

“When Beauty Joy went out and around him, he was happy to let him go. He just got into a lovely rhythm behind him and wanted to chase him, and then when he got clear of him, he wanted to wait a little bit, which was a worrying time for me when I could feel Golden Sixty breathing down my neck again.”

So, my prediction of the mouse getting away with the cheese came true. In fact, the cheese must taste very good – a whopping HK$17.1 million to the winner California Spangle of the total HK$30 million that was on offer for the race.

In review it is third time lucky for California Spangle who has been narrowly beaten on the two previous occasions by the Hong Kong champion Golden Sixty.

Take nothing away from Golden Sixty and Vincent Ho – they were just a victim of circumstances on Sunday.

Maybe next time the cat will get his prey and wash it down with a creamy saucer of milk to celebrate!

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