In battling to a neck triumph under Tommy Berry, Designs On Rome became only
“He is outstanding,” Moore said. “I’ve got my hands on a very good one but I
The trainer, claiming his fourth victory in Hong Kong’s 2000-meter spring
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“I think he is Hong Kong’s champion now,” opined Moore, who registered a
treble on the day. “I think after winning that today he’d be Horse of the Year.
He will go on, barring setbacks, to the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater
Cup (over 2400 meters May 25) to really seal the deal.
“Of course, he hasn’t traveled yet. He still has to do it offshore, but what
he’s done so far is show that he’s very talented. He’s going to mix it with the
very best. I know the owner is very keen to go to Dubai next year on the turf.
He’s keen to go and prove the horse’s ability, so I’m looking forward to that,
but let’s take it race by race.”
For Berry, the victory maintained a 100 percent record in the race he won at
the first attempt last year on Military Attack. This time, the Australian found
his former partner to be his biggest threat. After winding up Designs On Rome
from back in the field at the 600-meter mark, on his now customary long run for
home, Berry punched his mount to the fore halfway down the straight only to be
greeted by Military Attack under Joao Moreira.
The two stablemates came together halfway down the stretch as Military Attack
drifted away from the inside fence, and for several strides there was no
separating last year’s champion and the young challenger. Designs On Rome has
all the hallmarks of a born battler however, and a switch of the whip elicited
that little extra needed for a famous victory in a smart time of 2:01.
“There was a little bit of a scare when Military Attack got up the inside,”
Berry said, “but you always know I’ve got a little bit more left in the tank
when I haven’t pulled my stick through to my right hand because he finds a
little bit more when I do. He loves a dogfight, this horse — I’ll be surprised
the day he gets beat because he never gives up and the day he does get beat
it’ll be because one was too good for him.”
The top-class field of 10 featured South Africa’s Dubai Duty Free runner-up
Vercingetorix and Japanese star Epiphaneia. That formidable duo proved no match
for the two Hong Kong heroes. The Mike de Kock-trained Vercingetorix finished
third, two lengths adrift, while the Katsuhiko Sumii-trained Epiphaneia was
another two lengths away in fourth. Hong Kong Derby third Dibayani ran on from
the tail to take fifth.
“He’s on his home track and he’s the only one (of the main contenders) that
didn’t have to travel in between runs,” Berry said of Designs On Rome. “You saw
what he did in the Derby, he made a very long run and it was a smaller field
today so he was obviously going to pick them up a bit quicker. I know the
Japanese horse has come across with some great form but John spaces his horses’
runs out very carefully and he’s got it right pretty much every time.
“It was a bit more special this time because I’ve been with this horse a long
time, and I’ve been with John and John’s team for a lot longer than when I won
the QEII last time, so it’s a bit different circumstances,” added the rider, who
rode a double on the day — the first day of a short-term HKJC contract that
will run until the end of the current season.
Moore also collected the supporting stakes on the card, the Group 2 Sprint
Cup, with Charles the Great. He was also initiating a big-race double for sire
Holy Roman Emperor, who is likewise responsible for Designs On Rome.
Hong Kong may have a three-handed assault on the KrisFlyer International
Sprint in Singapore on May 18, after Charles the Great produced an electric turn
of foot to overhaul last year’s KrisFlyer winner Lucky Nine in a time of 1:09.09
for 1200 meters.
Moore, basking in the glow of another successful feature race day, said it
was possible that Charles the Great could join his stablemate Sterling City in
Singapore while Caspar Fownes has confirmed that Lucky Nine will also make the
trip to defend his crown.
“First things first, it was great to see Charles the Great pick up a Hong
Kong feature,” the winning trainer said. “He’s been trying for a while and gate
9 was a worry but he got the job done. He got back and he really closed off
well. He showed a terrific turn of foot off a slow pace.
“Amazingly, Douglas (Whyte) said he’d felt lethargic on the way to gates but
he didn’t race that way. Maybe the trial and his recent work down the back had
taken the edge off him and he was more relaxed.”
The trainer added that any decision on Singapore would be left to the owners.
“I’d probably have to talk them into it but he wouldn’t be out of place and
would be a good back-up if we take Sterling City,” Moore said referring to
Charles the Great’s Dubai Golden Shaheen-winning stablemate.
“I was so pleased for the owners to see him win today. He had the five pounds
advantage on Lucky Nine but he ran away from him at the finish,” Moore said.
Fownes, however, was not disappointed with his evergreen sprinter who was
beaten a length after being left in front a long way from home.
“He’s run really well. He’s gone for home 400 meters out and was left open to
a late challenge and he’s conceded the winner the five pounds. He’ll be spot on
for Singapore,” Fownes said.
Brett Prebble, who rode Lucky Nine, said the reapplication of blinkers had
worked even though the seven-year-old was beaten.
“The blinkers worked. He began well and was keen. His run was good. I
probably went a fraction soon on him but obviously there was nothing there to
cart us into the race.
“I think he’s on target for Singapore. If we can go there and get a sit on
the speed in a fast run race and strike a touch softer ground, he’ll be hard to
beat again,” Prebble said.
A total of 30,454 racegoers at Hong Kong’s racecourses produced an exciting
atmosphere, a slight rise on 2013, while turnover for the day was up 13 percent
on last year to more than HK$1.3 billion.
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