Search
where the horse is always the hero
Article Item
Posted 2009-02-22 13:24:16  
Moore bags a Gr.1 double of contrasts with Viva Pataca, Dim Sum

John Moore has enjoyed many major victories during his record-breaking career in Hong Kong, but no doubt Sunday's Gr.1 double will always rank highly.

The provenance of the leading trainer's latest feature race brace could not have been more contrasting. First he witnessed Viva Pataca win the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup for the second successive year as an odds-on favourite. A little over half an hour later, Dim Sum, ridden by new Club Jockey James Winks, shocked Sha Tin with a 50/1 upset in the Chairman's Sprint Prize.

Moore's double was redolent of another of his finest hours when Viva Pataca won the 2006 Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby and Billet Express – carrying the same pale blue and yellow colours of Dim Sum's owner David Pong Chun-yee – won this same sprint on the same programme.

Viva Pataca's second successive victory in the second leg of the Citi Triple Crown did not come in the same facile fashion of a year earlier even if the still admirable Packing Winner never really looked like defeating last season's Champion Middle Distance horse.

Darren Beadman pushed out Viva Pataca to score by a neck and record his sixth career Gr.1 success.

"He was ridden more forward today so that we wouldn't get any traffic jams up front but Darren was never in any bother. Viva Pataca just showed that he's still the best horse in Hong Kong over 2,000metres and more and, to be honest, I think he might have needed the run today, so there is further improvement to come," Moore said.

Last year Viva Pataca travelled to the Emirates to run second in the US$5m Dubai Sheema Classic on the back of victory in this event, but the trainer and owner Stanley Ho Hung-sun indicated a similar venture has not been decided as regards the richest race meeting in the world on 28 March.

"We will have to consider it [Dubai] but I'm afraid the horse might not be at his best when he comes back, so we need to discuss it further," Mr Ho remarked.

If Moore was savouring a red-letter day, the same certainly applied to Australian James Winks who will never forget Dim Sum's victory in the second leg of the Hong Kong Speed Series, his third win since making his local debut a month ago.

In a pulsating finish, Winks galvanized Dim Sum, seemingly Moore's third string in the race, to a head margin from the ever-consistent Enthused with race favourite Sacred Kingdom a head further back in third. Sunny Power ran a close fourth.

Moore has made a habit of taking out major sprints this season after Inspiration won the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint and the Centenary Sprint Cup. He said the application of blinkers for the first time had made the difference with Dim Sum. "They have done the trick; they made him more focused. James gave him a great ride, he had him settled in third or fourth and then Dim Sum showed great heart but I think the blinkers are the main reason for taking him up to Gr.1 status."

"I'm absolutely over the moon to win a second Gr.1 on the day and I'm also delighted for James to get a Gr.1 winner so early in his Hong Kong career."

Winks, still on Cloud Nine in the aftermath, added: "It's every jockey's dream to ride a Gr.1 winner in Hong Kong and I've done that now so I hope it can continue. Just to be able to come and ride here was great for me so to add a Gr.1 winner on an outsider is a huge boost."

Rate:
Email link to a friend | Printable Version
  • Similar Articles
    Displaying 11 ResultsSee All
    m t m hits home his first winner, black trainer has dreams 2017-10-12

    Michael Tshetso Mahiakola (MTM) has his winner. A unique achievement in the world of thoroughbred tr...

    View | Add Comment
    french hopes on chinchon in hong kong2009-04-23

    Trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias was at the track for the first time this week to watch Chinchon (pictur...

    View | Add Comment
    joyful winner bags macau group one2009-04-13

    Joyful Winner added another feature win to his distinguished career when the Hong Kong based perform...

    View | Add Comment
    excellent line-ups unveiled for audemars piguet qeii cup, champions mile2009-04-08

    The fields announced today for the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup and Champions Mile double-bill co...

    View | Add Comment
    more bountiful reaches a new peak in chairman's trophy2009-04-05

    More Bountiful emerged a convincing victor of the Chairman’s Trophy (HKGr.2-1600m) on Sunday t...

    View | Add Comment
    collection heads world's second richest derby2009-03-10

    The field for the 2009 Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby has been unveiled and the John Moore-trained Co...

    View | Add Comment
    lloyd to ride in hong kong2009-02-25

    After a recent move to Australia from South Africa, Jockey Jeff Lloyd is moving again. The Hong Kon...

    View | Add Comment
    futurity stakes kicks off world's richest race series2009-02-25

    The world’s richest race series, the 2009 Asian Mile Challenge gets underway this weekend with...

    View | Add Comment
    moore bags a gr.1 double of contrasts with viva pataca, dim sum2009-02-22

    John Moore has enjoyed many major victories during his record-breaking career in Hong Kong, but no d...

    View | Add Comment
    moore anticipates viva pataca double in citi hong kong gold cup2009-02-20

    A certain sense of déjà-vu surrounds this weekend’s second leg of the Citi Tripl...

    View | Add Comment
    sacred kingdom “most likely” winner of chairman’s sprint prize – yiu2009-02-20

    Whether Sacred Kingdom is back to the form that ranked him the world’s leading turf sprinter f...

    View | Add Comment
  • Hong Kong
    Displaying 10 ResultsSee All
    ho ho for ho, as jock return in style 2024-04-14

    Vincent Ho, thrilled after securing his first double in nearly three months at Sha Tin on Sunday, is...

    View | Add Comment
    world's best sprinter suffers major injury blow2024-04-08

    Lucky Sweynesse has suffered a major injury post his stunning victory in Sundays Spring Cup win at S...

    View | Add Comment
    bowman now on lucky sweynesse 2024-03-27

    Hugh Bowman has secured the ride on Lucky Sweynesse for the upcoming Group Two Sprint Cup, making hi...

    View | Add Comment
    massive sovereign wins a smart hong kong derby 2024-03-24

    Massive Sovereign, formerly known as Broadhurst when trained by Aidan O’Brien in Ireland, stol...

    View | Add Comment
    big guns drawn wide for hk derby 2024-03-21

    Helios Express’ bid to match the towering feats of Rapper Dragon and Golden Sixty with a clean...

    View | Add Comment
    treble for teetan as young champion impresses2024-03-16

    Young Champion lived up to high expectations, leaving Karis Teetan impressed as he clinched victory ...

    View | Add Comment
    hong kong derby field announced, galaxy patch looks teg real deal 2024-03-14

    Galaxy Patch caught the eye in the Gr1 The Queens Silve Jubilee Cup when he came from the back of th...

    View | Add Comment
    avdulla brilliance gives california spangle another gr1 2024-03-10

    California Spangle, backed from 20/1 to 13/1, surged to victory in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Gr1 in...

    View | Add Comment
    purton says drop in distance will help2024-03-08

    Zac Purton is optimistic a drop in distance can prove decisive in Beauty Eternal’s quest to to...

    View | Add Comment
    romantic warrior pips voyage gold cupbubble in great renewal of 2024-02-25

    Enhancing status as one of the world’s premier middle-distance gallopers with gripping victory...

    View | Add Comment