Vincent Ho Chak-yiu made Champions Day his own, claiming Group Ones aboard Golden Sixty and Loves Only You to put the finishing touches on a 13-month period where all his dreams have come true.

After winning last year’s Hong Kong Derby aboard Golden Sixty, Ho landed his first Group One with Southern Legend in the Champions Mile 12 months ago before snaring the Hong Kong Mile atop Golden Sixty at December’s international races.

Ho carried on his merry way on Sunday afternoon, notching back-to-back Champions Miles – this time aboard Golden Sixty – before returning 40 minutes later to pilot Loves Only You to victory in the HK$25 million QE II Cup.

“I can’t describe it, it’s amazing today with Golden Sixty and Loves Only You,” Ho said. “The QE II is one of my dream goals as well as the Derby and the December internationals, a QE II win means a lot.”

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Golden Sixty made it 14 wins on the trot, holding on for a narrow victory over stablemate More Than This, before Ho delivered aboard Loves Only You.

The Yoshito Yahagi-trained five-year-old became only the second mare to win the QE II Cup after Irridescence in 2006, travelling one-off the rail in midfield before working around the field turning for home and hitting the lead 200m out.

“Mr Yahagi gave me free rein to just let me do whatever because he knew the horse was well and once she’s travelling well with her own pace she will perform,” he said.

“She was very kind until the 800m then sort of hit a flat spot and I gave her two shakes just to teach her a little bit and then I asked her again and she responded very well through the line.

“I don’t dare to look back until the finish line but she was amazing. I’m grateful that the Japanese connections asked me to ride her.”

It was Loves Only You’s second Group One victory to go with her win in the 2019 Yushun Himba and followed her third placing in the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic (2,400m) at Meydan last month.

The victory was redemption for Yahagi after a pair of recent Group One placings in Hong Kong with Lys Gracieux, including third in this race two years ago, and connections are already considering a return for HKIR later this year.

“We came here two years ago with Lys Gracieux and unfortunately we didn’t win [but we atoned] this time so that makes me very happy,” said assistant trainer Yusaku Oka.

“When she travelled from Dubai to Hong Kong I saw the horse in Hong Kong and her body looked really good. She was in great order [and] Vincent rode her really, really well. There is a big option [to come back] because she won here.”

Loves Only You led home an all-Japanese first four as the $5.80 fourth favourite, with $4.70 chance Glory Vase running on strongly into second, hot favourite Daring Tact ($2.50) fading into third and Kiseki ($10) pinching fourth from leading local runner Exultant.

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“She gave a good run as usual. I know she was very heavily supported so the first thing I have to say is that I’m sorry,” Japanese jockey Kohei Matsuyama said of Daring Tact.

“For the excuse, I cannot find an appropriate one for her today. The first two that came ahead of her ran a great race.”