Francis Lui Kin-wai has credited the great Golden Sixty with teaching him how to train following confirmation on Friday the 10-time Group One winner has run his last race.

While Lui is, of course, selling himself rather short considering he had 46 winners the season before Golden Sixty joined his stable, there is no doubt the veteran handler went to another level during his superstar’s superb career.

Lui’s five biggest win hauls came while he had Golden Sixty in his stable, including his maiden trainers’ premiership last season, and thanks to the magnificent miler he’s now a winner of the Hong Kong Derby as well as a handful of the city’s other biggest races.

“Of course [he was life changing]. He helped me to build up my name and actually I would say he taught me how to train,” Lui said when considering the impact Golden Sixty has had on his career.

“The horse helped us all to build up our names and he gave the team confidence about how to train.”

Lui and Vincent Ho Chak-yiu were with Golden Sixty for every step of his history-making journey, with the jockey also experiencing the best years of his career during his association with the highest-earning racehorse of all time.

Ho, who won 26 times aboard Golden Sixty including 10 Group One races, enjoyed comfortably his most prolific season in 2022-23, landing 96 winners

“He’s a horse who taught me to be a better athlete and a better jockey. From him I’ve grown a lot, mentally as well,” Ho said.

“From receiving all the pressure of riding in a Group One on a horse like him to enjoying myself in a Group One and winning, it’s another feeling. That’s what he taught me and gave us all.

“He is special because no matter what, he did his best all the time. Even if he wasn’t the fittest sometimes and not feeling his best, he still gave his all and made things happen.

“This is something everyone can learn from. Every time I rode him, I learned something new. I really appreciate what he has done for us.”