Moreira Back With a Bang in Hong Kong

[Wandering Eyes]

Joao Moreira shocked the racing world when he announced last summer that he would not be seeking renewal of his licence with the Hong Kong Jockey Club and would instead initiate the process of becoming a full-time jockey in Japan. While he was wildly successful during a series of short-term contracts, he failed the first part of the jockeys’ exam and a rumour spread quickly that he would become the retained rider to the powerhouse John Size yard. With that partnership officially green-lighted earlier in the week, it bore its first fruit Sunday afternoon when Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}) held off a late surge by former stablemate Mr Stunning (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) to land the G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Sprint at Sha Tin.

In receipt of five pounds from Mr Stunning under the conditions of the race, Hot King Prawn was hustled along by Moreira to take up the running not long after the break, and when Zac Purton asked for a bit of speed from Ivictory (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}), that consigned Mr Stunning to a three-wide trip while punching the breeze. The pace was not at all taxing–the first 800m were clocked in :46.27–and Hot King Prawn kicked in the straight, pinched a bit of a break and just managed to hold off Mr Stunning, who kept on well despite covering the extra ground. The winner’s stable companion Beat the Clock (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) turned in an excellent effort in third while first-up since a third to Ivictory in the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize last April. The latter finished tailed off for a second straight start, casting some doubt on his participation in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint.

“It’s such a pleasure to be back riding a horse like this for John,” said Moreira, who rode the final three winners on the program. “He was so fast out of the gate and when I asked him to go in the straight I was always confident that he could hold on.”

New Tactics No Problem for Beauty Generation…

In the BOCHK WM Jockey Club Mile, it was business as usual for the world’s top-rated miler Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}), even if the race didn’t go entirely to script. Typically dictation from or near the head of affairs, the 6-year-old was eased back into third-last as the comebacking The Golden Age (Fr) (My Risk {Fr}) set a solid pace in advance of Thewizardofoz (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) and Pingwu Spark (NZ) (Mastecraftsman {Ire}). But in a move more likely to be seen in a 2200m race at Happy Valley, Zac Purton set Beauty Generation alight with five furlongs to travel and by the time they hit the halfway point, the duo was right alongside The Golden Age. Beauty Generation claimed that one with ease at the 400m and, despite drifting out past the center of the track, proved a very handy winner. Southern Legend (Aus) (Not a Single Doubt {Aus}) narrowly outfinished the evergreen Beauty Only (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) for second. The final time smashed the previous track record held for the last 10 years by three-time G1 Hong Kong Mile winner Good Ba Ba (Lear Fan).

Winning trainer John Moore was effusive in his praise for the reigning Horse of the Year, comparing him to another of Hong Kong’s best.

“He was like Able Friend. He reminded me of Able Friend, making the big run and scooting clear from the turn,” said Moore. “He’s proved he’s a champion. He had to make two runs out there after it was like the charge of the Light Brigade early and people around the world now will stand up and take notice that there is a very good miler here in Hong Kong.”

 

WATCH: Beauty Generation dominates in the Jockey Club Mile

 

Eagle Way Capitalizes in Jockey Club Cup…

The Moore barn was responsible for the day’s biggest surprise when Eagle Way (Aus) (More Than Ready) took advantage of another swiftly run affair and ran them all down to win the G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup over the metric mile and a quarter.

The Archipenko full-brothers Time Warp (GB) and Glorious Forever (GB) took it to one another tooth and nail for the opening 600 metres, with the longer-winded Eagle Way logically well off them from the latter third of the field. Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal) looked to travel sweetly and the race looked to be his for the taking as Karis Teetan peeled him to the outside of the weakening pacesetters off the home corner. That rally was short-lived, however, and Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) shot through to lead three off the rails at the 200m, but Eagle Way had all the answers and raced over the top of them to score. Eagle Way’s final time of 1:59.30 was also a new course record.

The original plan was to march on to the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m), but Moore admitted he’d need to have a rethink about Eagle Way’s December destination.

“We haven’t decided whether we run in the Vase or the Cup,” Moore revealed. “We’ll put in a supplementary entry for the Cup before deadline tomorrow and I’ll talk it over with the owner, Mr. Siu, whether we run. I’m hearing that the Cup might be an option worth considering.”

The immediate future for Pakistan Star is less clear. Teetan reported to stewards that his mount “refused to stretch out over the latter stages of the race” and with that in mind, should he press on to International day, he will be forced to trial to the satisfaction of the stewards and submit to a veterinary exam.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
BOCHK WEALTH MANAGEMENT JOCKEY CLUB MILE-G2, HK$4,250,000 (£425,840/€479,433/A$745,836/US$542,753), 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:32.64 (NCR), gd.
1–BEAUTY GENERATION (NZ), 128, g, 6, by Road to Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: Stylish Bel (NZ), by Bel Esprit (Aus)
2nd Dam: Stylish Victory (Aus), by Durham Ranger
3rd Dam: Romantic Peace (Aus), by Mikado (Aus)
(NZ$60,000 Ylg ’14 NZBSEL). O-Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen; B-Nearco Stud Ltd; T-John Moore; J-Zac Purton; HK$2,422,500. Lifetime Record: Horse of the Year & Ch. Miler & MG1SW-HK, G1SP-Aus, 25-12-3-4, HK$48,628,220. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
2–Southern Legend (Aus), 124, g, 6, Not a Single Doubt (Aus)–Donna’s Appeal (Aus), by Carnegie (Ire). (A$280,000 Ylg ’14 INGEAS). O-Boniface Ho Ka Kui; B-Corumbene Stud (NSW); T-Caspar Fownes; J-Douglas Whyte; HK$935,000.
3–Beauty Only (Ire), 123, g, 7, Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)–Goldendale (Ire), by Ali-Royal (Ire). (€72,000 Ylg ’12 SGASEP). O-Eleanor Kwok Law Kwai Chun & Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen; B-Massimo Parri; T-Tony Cruz; J-Neil Callan; HK$488,750.
Margins: 3, NO, 2 3/4. Odds: 1-2, 13-1, 9-1.
Also Ran: Singapore Sling (SAf), Seasons Bloom (Aus), Pingwu Spark (NZ), Thewizardofoz (Aus), The Golden Age (Fr).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Beauty Generation is one of two foals from his dam to make the races and is kin to a yearling filly by Tavistock (NZ). Stylish Bel was most recently covered by Tavistock’s G1 Rosehill Guineas and G1 VRC Derby winner Tarzino (NZ), who stands at Westbury Stud.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
BOCHK JOCKEY CLUB CUP-G2, HK$4,250,000 (£425,840/€479,433/A$745,836/US$542,753), 3yo/up, 2000mT, 1:59.30 (NCR), gd.
1–EAGLE WAY (AUS), 123, g, 6, by More Than Ready
1st Dam: Wedgetail Eagle (Aus), by Lure
2nd Dam: La Favorita, by Seattle Dancer
3rd Dam: Golden Rhyme (Ire), by Dom Racine (Fr)
(A$200,000 Ylg ’14 INGEAS). O-Siu Pak Kwan; B-Segenhoe Thoroughbreds Australia Pty Ltd (NSW); T-John Moore; J-Silvestre de Sousa; HK$2,422,500. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Aus, 34-8-4-5, HK$18,323,410. *1/2 to Soaressa (Aus) (Twining), SW-Aus, A$204,480; Impressive Eagle (Aus) (Rubiton {Aus}), MSW & G1SP-Aus, A$305,675; and Assertive Eagle (Aus) (Danewin {Aus}), SW & MGSP-Aus, A$271,750. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
2–Exultant (Ire), 123, g, 4, Teofilo (Ire)–Contrary (Ire), by Mark of Esteem (Ire). O-Eddie Wong Ming Chak & Wong Leung Sau Hing; B-; T-Tony Cruz; J-Vincent Ho; HK$935,000.
3–Werther (NZ), 123, g, 7, Tavistock (NZ)–Bagalollies (Aus), by Zabeel (NZ). O-Johnson Chen; B-C D Allison, C V & J A Barnao, A R Campbell, T G Heptinstall, T M Pivac & D R Platt; T-John Moore; J-Douglas Whyte; HK$488,750.
Margins: 1, 2 1/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 12-1, 16-5, 53-10.
Also Ran: Gold Mount (GB), Horse of Fortune (SAf), Glorious Forever (GB), Ruthven (Aus), Pakistan Star (Ger), Time Warp (GB).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Eagle Way is one of nine winners from 11 to race from his dam, a daughter of the imported La Favorita, whose full-brother Seattle Rhyme won the 1991 G1 Racing Post Trophy in England and was third to Rodrigo de Triano in the 1992 G1 Juddmonte International S. Wedgetail Eagle is the dam of a Choisir (Aus) half-brother to Eagle Way that fetched A$130,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and she foaled a full-sister to Eagle Way in 2017. She missed to More Than Ready for 2018 and was most recently bred to Pride of Dubai (Aus).

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
BOCHK WEALTH MANAGEMENT JOCKEY CLUB SPRINT-G2, HK$4,250,000 (£425,840/€479,433/A$745,836/US$542,753), 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.59, gd.
1–HOT KING PRAWN (AUS), 123, g, 4, by Denman (Aus)
1st Dam: De Chorus (Aus), by Unbridled’s Song
2nd Dam: Val de Grace (Aus), by Centaine (Aus)
3rd Dam: Renasans (NZ), by Ashabit (GB)
(A$90,000 Ylg ’16 INGFEB). O-Lau Sak Hong; B-Torryburn Stud (NSW); T-John Size; J-Joao Moreira; HK$2,422,500. Lifetime Record: 10-9-1-0, HJ$12,805,300. *1/2 to Siren’s Fury (Aus) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), GSW-Aus, A$383,775. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: C.
2–Mr Stunning (Aus), 128, g, 5, Exceed and Excel (Aus)–With Fervour, by Dayjur. (A$110,000 Wlg ’14 INGGSW; NZ$250,000 Ylg ’15 NZBPRE). O-Maurice Koo Win Chong; B-Makybe Racing & Breeding (Vic); T-Frankie Lor; J-Karis Teetan; HK$935,000.
3–Beat The Clock (Aus), 123, g, 5, Hinchinbrook (Aus)–Flion Fenena (Aus), by Lion Hunter (Aus). (A$70,000 Ylg ’15 INGMAR; NZ$200,000 2yo ’15 NZBRTR). O-Merrick Chung Wai Lik; B-Miss J Henderson (NSW); T-John Size; J-Silvestre de Sousa; HK$488,750.
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 7-5, 19-5, 27-5.
Also Ran: Winner’s Way (Aus), Fifty Fifty (NZ), Born In China (GB), Ivictory (Aus), Premiere (NZ), D B Pin (NZ).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
For more information on Hot King Prawn–whose Capitalist (Aus) half-brother was foaled Nov. 3–as well as his family and his breeder, read “Torryburn-breds on a tear in Hong
Kong”  from the TDNAusNZ edition of Oct. 17, 2018.

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