Vincent Ho Chak-yiu’s primary goal for the 2021-22 season is pretty simple – “win more Group Ones with Golden Sixty” – and the jockey is confident the time is right to take things up yet another notch.

Moments after they snared last year’s Hong Kong Mile, Ho declared his desire to take Golden Sixty to the world and he reiterated on Saturday his eagerness “to prove to everyone he is that good”.

If he was to travel, the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained galloper’s most likely target would be the Group One Yasuda Kinen (1,600m) in Tokyo next June, a race won by Hong Kong gallopers Bullish Luck and Fairy King Prawn.

“It’s close by and Japan handle all the quarantine well, the [Japan Racing Association] did a lot for the equestrian in the Olympics, so hopefully we can do it,” Ho said.

“Golden Sixty’s owner [Stanley Chan Ka-leung] loves Japan so this is the first option but we’re still open to any options, we’ll see how it pans it.

“To win a Group One overseas with Golden Sixty is the dream, I’d love to prove to everyone that he is that good and he can go anywhere around the world and still win.”

In the meantime, however, the pair have more local riches to plunder as Golden Sixty looks to add to his 14 straight wins and the four Group Ones he banked last season.

The reigning Horse of the Year’s first main target is defending his Hong Kong Mile crown at December’s Hong Kong International Races, however the build-up will be quite different this time around.

While Golden Sixty ran in September and October last season and raced three times ahead of international day, connections are leaning towards kicking their star off in the Group Two Jockey Club Mile on November 21 under set weights and penalties before tackling the Hong Kong Mile second-up.

“We don’t want to go for any handicaps at the moment, it sounds a bit rushed but he’s a horse that can train up quite easily,” Ho said. “We’re building his fitness gradually so he’s 100 per cent come December.”

That plan would keep fans waiting until next year to see Golden Sixty get his chance to equal or better Silent Witness’ Hong Kong record of 17 consecutive wins, provided he gets through his first two starts unscathed.

While Ho is focused on adding to his six career Group Ones – five of which came last season – he is also keen to better the personal best of 67 wins he set in the 2019-20 season after saluting 61 times last term.

“I just want to keep riding well and keep improving and I’ll still be trying to beat my personal best, for sure it’s achievable,” he said.

“I can’t wait to get the season started, there was nothing to do in the summer and it’s actually been quite boring.”

Meanwhile, Richard Gibson confirmed sprinter Wellington – who took out the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) in April – will begin his march to the Hong Kong Sprint in either the Group Three National Day Cup (1,000m) on October 1 or the Group Two Premier Bowl (1,200m) on October 17.