Ling Chiu Shing and Gary Ling Kay Wai’s Sterling City collared Rich Tapestry
late to top an all-Hong Kong exacta in Saturday’s Group 1, $2 million Dubai
Golden Shaheen. Beautifully ridden by Joao Moreira, who had guided Hong Kong’s
Amber Sky to a front-running win in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint one race earlier,
Sterling City answered the question of whether he could be as effective on
synthetic as he is on turf.
Indeed, going into the race, trainer John Moore was flabbergasted by the fact
that rival Rich Tapestry was billed as the top Hong Kong contender. Sterling
City was plainly the superior animal of the two on turf, but the venue change —
coupled with Rich Tapestry’s victory in the course-and-distance prep, the March
8 Mahab al Shimaal — led to a re-think of the pecking order.
Yet on the day, order was restored. Sterling City, a massive 20-1 chance on
the U.S. morning line, was bet down to 5-2 favoritism. Rich Tapestry and
defending Golden Shaheen champion Reynaldothewizard left the gate at a joint
7-2.
American raider Zee Bros zipped to the lead, stalked by Complicate and Rich
Tapestry, who was striding comfortably into position from his 12 post. Sterling
City, better drawn in post 4, was reserved off the pace, but didn’t appear to be
traveling as smartly as synthetic specialist Rich Tapestry.
Swinging for home, Rich Tapestry surged to take command, and briefly looked
like becoming the third straight winner of the Mahab al Shimaal to turn the
double here. Sterling City angled out for Moreira to give chase. After initially
not making headway on his compatriot, Sterling City found extra in the closing
strides to nab Rich Tapestry by three-quarters of a length, covering about six
Tapeta furlongs in 1:10 4/5.
“I am ecstatic to win here in Dubai, it’s every trainer’s dream,” Moore said.
“This has been a Team Moore effort as my daughter Caroline is the groom and my
son George the work rider. Rich Tapestry’s facile win the other day made me
think my fellow had a chance today.
“I didn’t expect it to unfold like that. He was closer than I thought he’d
be, but it is all about the rider.
“He is a magician,” the trainer said, with a nod toward Moreira’s nickname of
“Magic Man.”
“The jockey said he didn’t like it early on the all-weather, but once he got
him clear, he flew home.”
“When he gets kickback in his face, he comes off the bit,” Moreira revealed.
“Without kickback in his face, he finishes strong.
“Once I gave him a clear run he just showed off. He’s a very good horse. Rich
Tapestry had the experience of racing here before and my horse didn’t, but once
I got to his outside, I knew my horse was going to kick in. He’s lovely and such
a pleasure. There is more to come. I dedicate this to my family, my wife and two
kids.”
“I got run down by a good horse,” Rich Tapestry’s rider Olivier Doleuze said.
“I had the trip I wished to have. When I asked him under pressure, he gave me
his kick. He traveled very well throughout the race, but he went from going very
good to full power without it making much difference. He gave me a short burst
but then he stopped a little bit after that.”
The Hong Kong duo were in a race of their own. Locally-based United Color got
up for third, 2 1/4 lengths back, and Reynaldothewizard settled for fourth after
a troubled passage.
“Very disappointed,” stable jockey Richard Mullen said of Reynaldothewizard.
“He was flattened at the start after 10 yards. That cost me a lot of ground and
he’s done well to get back in the race and finish fourth. Without that, I’d say
he’d have won.”
Next
came Nawwar, Zee Bros, Russian Soul, Balmont Mast, Complicate, Krypton Factor,
Jamesie, My Catch and Bello.
“He gave me a super ride,” Frankie Dettori said of Zee Bros, “but he’s a dirt
horse and on the surface here he’s there to be shot at. I was third 100 meters
out, but he hit a brick wall, but he ran very honest.”
With this first Group 1 laurel to his credit, Sterling City’s resume reads
20-8-6-3. The Nadeem gelding captured the 2013 Premier Cup and Premier Bowl
Handicap and finished second in the November 17 Jockey Club Sprint, the prep for
the December 8 Hong Kong Sprint. He experienced traffic trouble in that
international Group 1, however, and reported home a better-than-appears fifth to
Japan’s al-conquering Lord Kanaloa. Sterling City promptly rebounded in the
Chinese Club Challenge Cup on New Year’s Day, but again had bad luck en route to
a fast-finishing third to Lucky Nine in the February 17 Chairman’s Sprint Prize.
“It’s one international meeting at a time, but his next target could be the
Singapore Krisflyer Sprint in May,” Moore said, “and then we can think about
Ascot.”
Bred by D.P.R. Esplin in Australia, Sterling City is a half-brother to
Australian Group 2 winner Tipungwuti. They were both produced by multiple Group
2 victress So Gorgeous, a Brief Truce mare who is herself a half-sister to Group
3 scorers Wild Queen and Cumbria. Also in the family are Australian Group 1
heroes Thorn Park, Bentley Biscuit and Euphoria.
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