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Able Friend return is the talk of the trials

11/11/2016

By David Morgan

Able Friend is on track for a long-awaited return to race action in the G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) a week on Sunday (20 November). Hong Kong’s former Horse of the Year emerged without a glitch from his first barrier trial in more than a year this morning, Friday, 11 November.

“I thought he trialled really well,” jockey Joao Moreira said after piloting the big chestnut to fifth in the seven-runner batch. “I think that for a horse that hasn’t raced for such a long time, to go out there and perform how he did this morning, you’d think he’s on his way back to his best. I think he’s not going to disappoint us - I think he will turn out to be what he used to be.”

Able Friend did all that was required in the 1200m all-weather track trial. Moreira settled the 2014 G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile champ at the tail on the inside and when rising sprint star Lucky Bubbles passed the post ahead of the pack in a time of 1m 10.96s, Able Friend was close at hand, a length and a half behind in a time of 1m 11.20s.

“Joao was positive and in turn I feel positive that we go into the Jockey Club Sprint a live chance,” Moore stated. “Joao said, ‘Keep the horse going in the same way as you have.’ He said the horse felt very sound underneath him - he finished off pretty well. It was a little tight early on, he had someone to his outside where he couldn’t really make the ground he wanted, but in the straight Joao had plenty of horse. It’s a nice starting point for him.

“I need to get that 1200 underneath his belt on Sunday week and then we’ll decide whether it’s the sprint or the mile in December.”

Moore is pleased with the seven-year-old’s recuperation from a setback, officially listed on HKJC.com as a “right front deep digital flexor tendon injury”, and, more recently, from the consequences of a mishap whilst in quarantine early in September, which further delayed the gelding’s return to action. 

“Going back to Australia - getting back on different ground - his feet have grown out and he’s got plenty of heel now,” Moore said. “We’re being very careful in keeping that heel there.

“The main issue (of late) was not the tendon insertion into the foot, it was when he jumped the fence in quarantine and got his back legs caught over the railing. He pulled some ligaments up high in his near hind but with work that seems to have strengthened up and doesn’t seem to be an issue now.

“You can see he’s not on the big side, he’d only be going out there today probably 1270 pounds. He’s trimming up nicely and he actually pulled up very well after the trial - I thought he’d blow a lot more than he did when he got back.”

This morning’s trial had Moore recalling Able Friend’s withering last-to-first run that unexpectedly snatched the Premier Bowl Handicap (1200m) back in October, 2015.

“Don't think that he has to be one hundred percent - with the talent that he’s got - to run over the top of our best sprinters. He’s done it before,” he said. “When he did that last time in the 1200, I went in thinking he’d just take improvement from that race but he won it. And he won it in a way that he ended up one of the top sprinters on the planet.

“We’ll see later how he trots up and everything but so far we’re right on track to bring the champ back into the Hong Kong racing scene.”

In the same batch, Lucky Bubbles impressed once again under Brett Prebble. Trainer Francis Lui’s G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) runner-up appears to be in fine heart ahead of the Jockey Club Sprint. The Sebring five-year-old tracked behind the pace in mid rank and quickened through easily, without pressure, to edge the lead at the line.

A short-head behind was the John Size-trained Sun Jewellery, Hong Kong’s Champion Miler last term. The talented five-year-old is on track for a tilt at the G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile.

In batch two this morning - also 1200m on the all-weather - Size trialled his big sprint hope, Amazing Kids, and another top-class miler, last season’s G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) hero Contentment. The former led the nine triallists home, a neck in front of the latter, in a time of 1m 10.57s.

“Everything’s normal with the horses, I’m pleased with them going into the races on the 20th,” Size said.

Amazing Kids travelled sweetly to “win” the heat but, as he often does, swished his tail and appeared to be a touch playful on the way to post under Moreira. The Brazilian opted to slide his toes out of the irons and allowed his legs to hang long, a Moreira tactic when a horse is being playful, green or recalcitrant.

“He’s not nervous; he’s not busy; he’s a bit spoilt, in the way that when you want him to do something you have to sort of wait for him to change his mind and go and do it. He doesn’t comply or conform immediately,” Size explained.

“Things that he does that are different are that he doesn't want to walk in the gate, he walks in when he’s ready, and then when he jumps out of the gate he wants to find his feet or take his time in racing to get into his rhythm. Apart from that he’s got a very good temperament. He’s a quiet horse; he’s got a lovely nature, so there are just a couple of little things. And when the jockey gets on him he’ll flick his tail and fool around - just a little bit playful. He’s not nasty in any way; he’s a really gentle, kind horse.”

And as to the five-year-old’s resolution when the serious business begins, Size was unequivocal: “He gives you a hundred percent: whatever he’s got, he’ll give it to you. Sometimes he looks like he peaks on the line and it looks like he can lose a finish when he has to fight for one - he’s looked like it a couple of times - but he’s actually doing his best.”

Amazing Kids has won five of his 14 Hong Kong starts, his biggest success coming in the G3 National Day Cup (1000m) on 1 October. Last time out, the Falkirk gelding ran home strongly from the tail to finish a neck second to Lucky Bubbles in the G2 Premier Bowl Handicap (1200m). Size believes the horse is a stronger model this term.

“He’s much stronger than he was last season, with his health and wellbeing at home,” he said. “It’s probably not noticeable when he’s walking around or at the races but at home it’s quite remarkable how he’s improved in his health and his strength. That will help him when he goes to the races because then he’s racing better, which means that every time he runs he should be improving marginally.”

As for Contentment, this morning’s trial gave Size optimism that the Hussonet gelding can bounce back from a disappointing 10th in his second start this season, the G2 Sha Tin Trophy (1600m) last month.

“We didn’t find anything wrong with him,” the champion trainer said. “The day after the race we went over him, like we normally do with them, and there was nothing. This morning Brett (Prebble) was happy with him and he looked to trial normally to me. I’m hopeful.

“He raced in the first week in June (Yasuda Kinen) and then he didn’t race for some time, so it may be that he needs two or three runs to get his fitness back. He’s a year older, he’s six, southern hemisphere, so he’s not a young horse any more. He might just need a couple of races to get to his best, but I’d be very surprised if he didn’t run well on the 20th.”

The Jockey Club Races on Sunday, 20 November are the premier lead-ups to the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races on 11 December and comprise the HK$4 million G2 LONGINES Jockey Club Cup (2000m), the HK$4 million G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile (1600m) and the HK$4 million G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Sprint (1200m).

Able Friend (black cap) runs a pleasing fifth behind Lucky Bubbles (far-left) and second finisher Sun Jewellery (second left) in an all-weather barrier trial today.
Photo 1:
Able Friend (black cap) runs a pleasing fifth behind Lucky Bubbles (far-left) and second finisher Sun Jewellery (second left) in an all-weather barrier trial today.

 

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