The John Moore-trained stayer Dominant today (Sunday 5 May), at Sha Tin, made it back-to-back wins in the HKG3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup (handicap) and did so in a thrilling finish and despite a limited preparation into the race. Image SAHorseracing.com

The five-year-old, under Zac Purton, scored by the barest official margin - a nose - from Matthew Chadwick's mount Willie Cazals, who came from last; while the well-fancied four-year-old Mizani was a half-length back in third and thus his unbeaten run in Hong Kong came to an end.

“I think he's the real deal, this horse,” Moore said of Dominant who was 12 pounds higher in the weights than when he won the 2012 version of this feature 2400 metres contest which pleasingly, and unusually, attracted a capacity field this year.

Dominant will now be aimed at the HKG1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup on 26 May, hoping to do better than his third place behind Liberator and Ambitious Dragon in that race last year and that seems likely given today's performance.

“That's a great effort,” Moore said, “he's come into this race off one run at 1600 metres and one trial which is hardly the ideal lead-up to a mile and a half (2400m) race.”

Winning jockey Purton was also taken with the win. “He was a bit underdone. He hadn't had the perfect prep but he got the job done. It was probably a blessing that we were held up a touch and when the gap came it felt like he would explode through and win by a length and a half but he just laboured late which is understandable.

“I knew I was on the best horse in the race and he's going to come on for this run. I'll be looking forward to the Champions & Chater now,” said Purton who'd earlier won on Bobo Dragon.

Longer term, Moore considers that Dominant could be a possible Melbourne Cup candidate. “I was thinking that with him last year but it was a hard sell then to the owners after he was beaten in the Champions but he's a stronger horse now and a trip to Melbourne could be on the cards if he keeps progressing,” Moore said.