Beauty Eternal takes his chance at becoming the fifth horse to record consecutive wins in the HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (27 April).
Aiming to join Bullish Luck (2005 & 2006), Xtension (2011 & 2012), Beauty Generation (2018 & 2019) and Golden Sixty (2021-2023), Beauty Eternal is also shooting for a first success since capturing his initial Group 1 in this race in 2024 for trainer John Size.
Beauty Eternal has won nine times in Hong Kong and missed in the 2023 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) by a head to Voyage Bubble, whom he reopposes. Size’s chestnut gelding led throughout to win last year’s FWD Champions Mile over Golden Sixty on rain affected ground.
“He seems normal and I expect him to run a good race,” Size said.
“He’s been good. He’s in pretty good shape. I think, last start, there were a few horses with excuses in that race and he was probably one of them. He seemed to run reasonably well, he has pulled up well afterwards and his trials have been fine.”
Sporting Patrick Kwok’s familiar black, pink and white silks, Beauty Eternal finished 10th behind 33/1 winner Straight Arron in the HK$5.35 million G2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m), while stablemate Red Lion, who was second to Beauty Eternal in the 2024 FWD Champions Mile, finished sixth in that same Group 2 race on 30 March at Sha Tin.
“He’s (Red Lion) very tough and he enjoys his racing. Since he’s been running against the good horses, he’s strengthened and he’s very consistent,” Size said.