Moore’s contenders are COLLECTION (Peintre Celebre) in the $2.6 million Hong
“Happy Zero’s an exciting horse, Collection’s on song, and Inspiration’s come
“Happy Zero and Collection look the pick of my runners, and hopefully they
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Collection is two-for-two at the course and about 1 1/4-mile distance of the
Cup, having captured the Hong Kong Derby (HK-G1) last March and the
International Cup Trial (HK-G2) in dazzling fashion on November 15. The
Irish-bred four-year-old will face an all-star cast Sunday, including multiple
Group 1 winner VISION D’ETAT (Chichicastenango) from France; defending Cup
champion EAGLE MOUNTAIN (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]); PRESVIS (Sakhee), hero
of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (HK-G1) over this track and trip in April;
Japanese shipper QUEEN SPUMANTE (Jungle Pocket); and the Aga Khan’s ASHALANDA (Linamix).
“Collection’s run the other day again was exemplary,” Moore said of his Cup
Trial coup. “True, he got a good run through that race, but when he was asked to
lengthen he did just that, and put two lengths on some very smart horses.
“Collection is going better than last season. He’s put on bodyweight through
the break and muscled up. Like Happy Zero, he’s a wiser horse now. He has a
devastating turn of foot — as good as Presvis in my book. If he gets first
crack, then Presvis is going to have one hell of a job running him down.”
“His win the other day was exemplary, beating a world champion SACRED KINGDOM
“(Jockey) Darren (Beadman) said to me after the Sprint Trial that this horse
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“I have no qualms about him getting the mile. He’s a lovely, lengthy horse
with one of the best strides a horse could have, and that comment comes from a
great jockey like Darren. His stride is huge. For raw talent he’s definitely the
best horse I’ve had, and he’s a much stronger, better and wiser horse this time
in.”
Moore’s other Mile hope, Able One, is talented but fragile. A front-running
winner of the 2007 Champions Mile (HK-G1), he was runner-up to the incomparable
GOOD BA BA (Lear Fan) in last year’s Hong Kong Mile. The seven-year-old Able One
prepped for this engagement with a fourth-place effort in the November 22
International Mile Trial (HK-G2).
“Able One… I call him Mister Balsa Wood because getting close to a big
race, the son of a gun, he’ll end up with a stress fracture somewhere,” Moore
said. “He’s 1,200 pounds, and sometimes the firm tracks here are just not to his
liking. But right now, he’s sound and everything’s just fantastic with him at
the moment. Brett Prebble’s on board and if from a good gate, I’d give him some
chance.”
Happy Zero and Able One’s most fearsome rival Sunday is Good Ba Ba, a former
Hong Kong Horse of the Year who is bidding for an unprecedented three-peat in
the Hong Kong Mile. Other threats include the speedy local EGYPTIAN RA (Woodborough),
Australian mile star RACING TO WIN (Encosta de Lago), the Sir Michael Stoute-trained
CONFRONT (Nayef), the well-traveled PRESSING (Ire) (Soviet Star), Godolphin’s
ALEXANDROS (Kingmambo) and Del Mar Mile H. (G2) winner FERNELEY (Ire) (Ishiguru).
“He was a victim of circumstances last time out,” Moore said of Viva Pataca.
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Viva Pataca represents Hong Kong’s best chance in years to overthrow Europe’s
domination of the Vase, but he must overcome a typically robust group of
invaders from that continent. Among them are three-time Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe (Fr-G1) runner-up YOUMZAIN (Sinndar); Group 1 winner SPANISH MOON (El
Prado [Ire]), coming off a fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1); the upwardly
mobile CIRRUS DES AIGLES (Even Top [Ire]); and the Aga Khan’s unbeaten sophomore
filly DARYAKANA (Selkirk). Japan dispatches JAGUAR MAIL (Jungle Pocket), a
near-miss third in last year’s Vase, while the longtime California-based mare
BLACK MAMBA (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe) will reportedly make her final start for
John Sadler here.
Inspiration stunned last year’s Hong Kong Sprint at 67-1, and went on to add
the Centenary Sprint (HK-G1) to his resume in February as well as the Premier
Bowl H. (HK-G3) in October. The Australian-bred is exiting a disappointing 13th
in the International Sprint Trial, but Moore is throwing that race out.
“Inspiration over-raced in the Sprint Trial, and we found blood down the
trachea, but that’s been cleaned up,” the trainer said. “He passed his
veterinary examination this morning, and I’m thinking James Winks will ride him.
He’s coming good.”
Moore sounded bullish about One World in the Sprint, especially in view of
the fact that Beadman will likely get the call.
“One World’s been a bit unlucky of late, but getting home in great style in
his races,” Moore said of the consistent five-year-old. “The other day (when a
troubled fifth in the Sprint Trial) he sizzled home the last 400 meters in 21.54
seconds, and we believe he’s the one Darren (Beadman) should be riding in the
Sprint.”
With jockey Prebble aboard for a Monday work, Sacred Kingdom took a spin in
“It was his last serious piece of work before Sunday, and I was very happy
The Sprint will also feature Australian Horse of the Year SCENIC BLAST
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All Silent’s trainer, Grahame Begg, issued a positive bulletin on Monday.
“He lost about 12 kilos on the flight over but regained all that very quickly
on arriving,” Begg said of his charge, who landed the November 7 Patinack Farm
Classic (Aus-G1) last time out at Flemington. “He’s back to the weight he was
when he left Sydney and has really thrived in the last three or four days.
“I watched him closely this morning, and there’s a real bounce in his step,
and his coat’s glowing. He’s been cleaning out the feed bin. In fact, we’re
giving him extra feed and he’s demolishing that. He’s a happy horse.
“He’ll have a gallop Wednesday, but he is the laziest trackworker you’ve ever
seen, so don’t worry about that too much. He won’t work in the blinkers. He’s a
different horse on raceday when the ‘Batman cape’ goes on.”