Joao Moreira is forging ever onward in his relentless quest for winners and on Sunday, 15 February, the runaway Hong Kong Jockeys’ Premiership leader will try to add another couple of big race victories to his growing collection.
The Brazilian is 23 wins clear of his nearest pursuer, the reigning Champion Jockey Zac Purton, with half of the current campaign already behind him. And after claiming three of Hong Kong’s five international Group 1 races staged so far this term, he now has his sights fixed on a pair of HKG1 races - the Hong Kong Classic Cup and the Chairman’s Sprint Prize.
This time last year Moreira went into the Hong Kong Classic Cup aboard the hot favourite, Able Friend, now considered perhaps the world’s best miler. He was outpointed that day as Designs On Rome stormed strong and late. On Sunday he will attempt to atone for that reversal on a horse of a very different hue, Redkirk Warrior.
The Chris So trainee has had only two starts in Hong Kong. His first, a 1400m Class 3 in early January, resulted in a fifth placing and an inquiry about the way jockey Gerald Mosse rode the gelding. His second, on 1 February with Moreira in the plate, produced a smooth win in a 1600m Class 2. Given that the gelding’s only two pre-import starts resulted in two wins in the UK at 2000m, the 1800m of the Hong Kong Classic Cup should be right up the Notnowcato gelding’s alley.
“Redkirk Warrior really impressed me the way he won last time and he beat a really nice horse, Contentment,” said Moreira. “He seems to be a progressive type of horse with a lot of potential. I picked him as my ride in the Classic Cup thinking that he does have a bit of a chance. But whatever he does this time he’s going to improve his next run.”
Should Redkirk Warrior prevail at the weekend he would put himself in line to emulate Designs On Rome, who went on from the Classic Cup to win the HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m).
“He feels like a long-distance type of a horse and I don’t think we’ve seen anything close to his best yet,” continued Moreira. “If he brings his best he’s going to make it hard for the others. I have to respect the others, particularly Beauty Only, but I have a lot of faith in this horse.”
Beauty Only impressed when winning the HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile last month. After claiming that first leg of the Hong Kong Four-Year-Old Series, Tony Cruz’s charge will attempt to do what even Able Friend could not and follow up in leg two en route to the third leg, the HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby on 15 March. Only Floral Pegasus (2007) has won the first two legs and no horse has won all three.
Moreira will partner Smart Volatility in Sunday’s other feature, the HKG1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m). Horse and rider have never teamed up in a race before but Moreira has acquainted himself with Francis Lui’s charge in three gallops recently, the latest on Monday in which the grey covered 800m of the turf course in 47.3s (25.6, 21.7).
“I’ve been on him his last three gallops and he’s been going well. I felt like there’s some improvement in him. I really think he’s going to run a huge race, he’ll be right there fighting for the win,” he said.
Smart Volatility has performed consistently this season but remains on the cusp of the highest grade. The Danewin six-year-old closed off for a close second to Peniaphobia in November’s G2 Jockey Club Sprint, was a fair seventh in December’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint and was third to Peniaphobia last start in the HKG1 Kent & Curwen Centenary Sprint Cup over an inadequate 1000m.
“I respect Peniaphobia and Aerovelocity,” added Moreira, “but my horse has been running close this season, and with a little bit of luck he might be winning this time.”
The Chairman’s Sprint Prize is the second leg of the Hong Kong Speed Series, which commenced with the HKG1 Kent & Curwen Centenary Sprint Cup last month and will conclude with the HK$10 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) on 15 March.
The entries for Sunday’s sprint feature the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint one-two Aerovelocity and Peniaphobia, as well as Lucky Nine, Hong Kong’s current Champion Sprinter and winner of the last two editions of the Chairman’s Sprint Prize.
