The curtain is likely to come down on the glittering career of Golden Sixty after the city’s most successful racehorse was defeated by Beauty Eternal in the Group One Champions Mile at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Sent off a warm $1.5 favourite in pursuit of an 11th top-level success, Golden Sixty travelled with ominous authority on the outside of Beauty Eternal but was ultimately no match for a masterful front-running ride from six-time champion jockey Zac Purton on the rain-softened turf.

While it was not to be for the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained galloper, Golden Sixty and his partner in crime Vincent Ho Chak-yiu were greeted with warm applause after trailing home Beauty Eternal, Red Lion and Voyage Bubble.

It was a defeat that momentarily sucked the atmosphere out of the Sha Tin grandstands, but a dejected Lui said he was proud of his stable star after he gave a good account of himself on the testing yielding ground.

“He still ran well, it was because of the ground,” Lui said. “He got beaten one time on the same ground. Of course, everyone is still disappointed.

“Yes, I think [that is his final run] – probably. We’ll discuss with the owner, but he’s nine next year.”

A winner of 26 of his 31 starts, Golden Sixty was defeated on his only outing on a similar surface in the Group One Gold Cup (2,000m) two years ago.

“The ground was not in our favour,” Ho said. “When I hit the straight I could already feel he could not pick up with his usual turn of foot.

“I know it’s a bit difficult. It is what it is, we can’t fight the weather. I was in a great position and everything was close to the speed, but still we couldn’t improve on that ground.”

John Size’s Beauty Eternal simultaneously spoiled the party for Golden Sixty’s fan club and put forward his own claim to excellence with a stellar all-the-way win under Purton.

After assuming the lead from gate 11, Purton dictated the pace to pinpoint perfection before kicking clear at the 400m marker and prevailing by a length and a half.

Stablemate Red Lion was always prominent and ran on well to fill the runner-up spot, while Voyage Bubble was solid in third and Golden Sixty trailed home the leader by three and a quarter lengths.

Purton, who also got the better of Golden Sixty aboard Waikuku and California Spangle, was delighted to collect his third success in the HK$22 million contest after employing the enterprising tactics.

“There was no speed in the race, which gave us the opportunity to lead,” Purton said. “He just got into a lovely rhythm and controlled the race.

“I thought the only chance I had to beat Golden Sixty was to try to put a gap on them and see how we went and today was his day.

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“I always felt there was a bit more there but he just always wants to do things wrong in the straight in his races.”

It was fourth time lucky at the elite level for $12 chance Beauty Eternal and a fourth victory in the contest for veteran trainer John Size, who generously gave the plaudits to Purton.

“[Zac] did very well,” Size said. “He got him out of the machines and forward a little bit. No one was very keen to lead so straight to the rail and set it up to suit himself. He went at a pace which suited the horse and was able to kick strongly.”