Trainer John Moore reports that Designs On Rome has “hit a purple patch” in the lead-up to Sunday’s (1 March) HK$10 million G1 Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m).
That appraisal could well trigger some trepidation among rival connections given that Hong Kong’s reigning Horse of the Year was already in cracking form. His latest two outings attest to that: the five-year-old overcame a world-class field to win December’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) and earlier this month he shrugged off top-weight to land the HKG3 Centenary Vase (Handicap, 1800m).
“I couldn’t be happier with Designs On Rome,” said Moore. “He seems to have hit a purple patch of form right now, like a lot of the European horses I have in the yard. For some reason, with the spring coming on, they seem to be working even better. And Designs On Rome had been doing everything right anyway!”
The Holy Roman Emperor gelding, successful last year in the HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby and G1 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup at the course and distance, galloped on Monday (23 February) under Joao Moreira.
“He’s absolutely flying on the track,” continued Moore. “In fact Joao got off him the other day and he said that if I can keep this horse at this level, we’re going to have a lot of fun. He’s just kicking his brand off. The way Joao’s talking, there might have been even more improvement, which is awesome.”
Designs On Rome will be aiming to snare his third international Group 1 contest on Sunday, this year being the first time that this second leg of the Hong Kong Triple Crown will be staged at that level, having been a local G1 contest previously. And if all goes well, Moore is excitedly anticipating an offshore challenge in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic (2410m) at the end of March.
“The Gold Cup is important, it’s a big race and it’s a proper Group 1,” said Moore. “The Dubai race is world stage stuff, so for that reason we want to have him absolutely peaking for Dubai. The way things are going right now, we should be able to do exactly that. There are a lot of bridges to cross of course, with the travel and so forth, but the signals are good at present.”
Before then, Designs On Rome must come through Sunday and a rematch with Military Attack, his former stablemate, his predecessor as Horse of the Year and the horse he mugged right at the wire to win the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup.
“Military Attack will be a tough rival if he’s over that setback he had,” said Moore of his former charge. “Caspar said he’d lost weight, so it could be that he’ll be vulnerable but we know how talented a horse he is.”
Among Designs On Rome’s eight potential rivals is his stablemate Harbour Master. The Mizzen Mast five-year-old has progressed up the ratings in the past two seasons and has won three of his last four, including a Class 2 at 1800m last start. This will be the British import’s first attempt at 2000m.
“Harbour Master is on the rise,” said Moore. “I don’t see him beating some of them in this race but off his rating he’s got to take his place in these better races to see how he measures up. We’ll get a better idea of where we have to place him.”
The top-class entries also include a trio from the Tony Cruz stable. The grey veteran California Memory is a two-time winner of the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup and won this race in 2011; Blazing Speed won the G2 LONGINES Jockey Club Cup (2000m) in November and has won local G1 races at a mile and 2400m; Helene Super Star was a solid fifth in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup.
John Size has engaged the talented duo of G2 winner Endowing and G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) third Khaya, and the Danny Shum-trained Mr Gnocchi completes the line-up.
Able Friend won the first leg of the Hong Kong Triple Crown series, the G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m), last month. The third and final leg is the HK$10 million G1 Champions & Chater Cup (2400m), also open to overseas contenders, at Sha Tin in May.
