South African jockey, Jeff Lloyd, caused a major upset on the aging galloper, Able One, when he took out the group 1 event with a front running effort. 

Lloyd described his shock win aboard Able One as the “biggest moment” of his career after the Hong Kong-based South African teamed with John Moore to take the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile. The jockey who has never won South Africa's biggest race, the Vodacom July, has taken out one of Asia's biggest in a dream day for the 50 year old.

“It’s just great. A nine-year-old winning with a 50-year-old on his back. He might have been big odds but I’ve been riding him in his work and I knew he was going well,” Lloyd said.

Able One began smartly and took the trail in second place behind Flying Blue who ran to a clear early lead. Moore’s charge rolled back the years as he took up the running at the top of the home straight and showed gallant resilience in the closing stages to repel the challenge of the Roger Charlton-trained runner-up Cityscape by a neck. It was a further short head back to the winner’s stablemate, Xtension.

“The race unfolded for us very well when Flying Blue took it up and my horse travelled so well with the sit. It was almost too good to be true,” Lloyd said.

It was the first CXHKIR win for Lloyd, and the third CXHKIR victory for Moore.

Able One’s victory, in a time of 1m 33.98s, was a third major mile win for the veteran who previously won the G1 BMW Champions Mile over the course and distance in 2007 and 2010.

Hong Kong horses have now won the CXHK Mile eight times in 10 years with the most recent overseas victor being the Japanese raider Hat Trick back in 2005.

Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile post-race quotes

1st – Able One - Jeff Lloyd

“This win has given me the biggest buzz of my career, not just here in Hong Kong. A nine-year-old with a 50-year-old on his back, it’s just great. The race unfolded perfectly, with Flying Blue taking it up, so we had the trail. It was almost too good to be true.”

2nd - Cityscape - Steve Drowne

“The draw beat me. What a run. This is the best race he’s run in his career, and on this effort you’d think he’d get a bit further. The flat level track was to his liking, even if the ground was a bit firm.

3rd – Xtension – Darren Beadman

“I think he probably wins if he didn’t have Cityscape sitting outside us. He couldn’t quite quicken fast enough, and he felt like a 2000m horse.”

4th – Dubawi Gold - Richard Hughes

“Huge! He’s only a three-year-old and we had to go back from the draw.”

5th – Sichuan Success - Douglas Whyte

“He’s run up to scratch, he’s run his race.”

6th – Beauty Flash - Gerald Mosse

“The ground was a bit quick for him, but he’s run well, he’s getting on a bit now.”

7th – Rajsaman – Thierry Jarnet

“He started very slowly and that made it difficult for him at the finish.”

8th – Sahpresa – Christophe Lemaire

“She had an off day today. I never felt I was in with a chance, although she didn’t finish that badly.”

9th – Jimmy Choux - Jonathan Riddell

“The race was run to suit him. I waited for them at the top of the straight and he had a kick, but the others had more. He hasn’t disgraced himself.”

10th - Outdoor Pegasus - John Murtagh

“I got a nice early run and he ran well.”

11th – Fat Choy Oohlala - Maxime Guyon

“It was just too difficult for him.”

12th - Destined For Glory - Tim Clark

“He couldn’t find the same finishing sprint as he did last time.”

13th – Apapane - Masayoshi Ebina

“She didn’t run her race at all. She didn’t respond for me at all. She ran as she did two races ago, very disappointing.”

14th - Olivier Doleuze – Flying Blue

“He’s got lots of natural speed, but this was just too far for him.”