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Able Friend dominates Group 1 Champions Mile

03/05/2015

Able Friend’s domination of Hong Kong’s mile division continued unabated at Sha Tin Racecourse today, Sunday 3 May. The world’s equal top-rated horse trounced his five rivals in the HK$14 million Group 1 Champions Mile with what appeared to be minimum effort.

“Heaps!” was jockey Joao Moreira’s enthusiastic response when asked how much Able Friend had left in the tank.

The John Moore-trained five-year-old settled fifth of six, five lengths off the pace, as stablemate Dan Excel took the field along at a moderate tempo. Able Friend cruised up on the outside of runners exiting the final turn and, with every one of his rivals hard at it down the straight, Moreira remained motionless in the run home. Able Friend eased to the lead 200m out and rolled past the post a length and a quarter clear of another Moore runner, the admirable Rewarding Hero. Dan Excel was a further neck back in third.

It is some measure of Able Friend’s talent that the strapping chestnut clocked 21.35s for the final 400m without ever coming off the bridle. Rewarding Hero, hard at it to keep tabs, was next quickest with a final sectional of 21.39s.

“He’s just outstanding,” said Moreira. “He just does everything properly. He’s a dream horse. I feel like my dream came true; I found one of the best horses in the world and I’m very pleased at the opportunity I was given by the trainer and the owner. I really appreciate it.”

As to whether or not Able Friend will have one final start in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes (1600m) at Royal Ascot in June before calling time on this season, Moore and owner Dr. Cornel Li were in agreement.

“I’m getting on a plane tonight so I’m going to get four or five days to cool down and then when I get back from that trip I’ll sit down with Cornel for lunch and we’ll have a chat,” said Moore. “But first let’s see how he pulls up and if everything is in order, we will see if he goes to Ascot.”

Dr. Li has now watched his Shamardal gelding win six consecutive races at Sha Tin this term, with four G1 triumphs included in that haul.

“This is not my horse this is Hong Kong’s horse,” he said. “As John said, we will see how he pulls out of this race and then we will decide about Ascot.”

The impressive nature of Able Friend’s success had the near 27,000 crowd, including the attendant international media, buzzing about the prospect of overseas success. But with Able Friend rated 9lb and more clear of today’s opponents on official international ratings, Moore was circumspect in his post-race statements.

“Everything went his way today but at Ascot he would have to run against horses like Solow, and they’re going to stretch him. They’re going to make sure he really is the champion,” he said.

“There’s been talk about the Sussex Stakes but if he did go to England it would be just one race – the Queen Anne would be enough and then he’d come back here. There would probably be a 30-day turnaround so we would put him in a paddock for a week in Newmarket where he could eat a bit of grass in that British sunshine.”

Much had been made in the pre-Champions Mile build-up about the prospect of a thrilling clash between Able Friend and this year’s brilliant HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner Luger. The latter, however, failed to fire and finished last of the sextet. A post-race examination revealed that John Size’s charge had suffered an irregular heartbeat.

Able Friend stopped the clock at 1m 35.39s as he comfortably held the game Rewarding Hero. The latter had finished third behind the winner in both the G1 Stewards’ Cup and HKG2 Chairman’s Trophy earlier this year.

“He’s run a massive race,” said jockey Neil Callan, who ended the afternoon with three wins. “Everybody knew the task taking on Able Friend. I think my horse has run right up to his best, it’s just unfortunate for him that there’s a horse like Able Friend around. My horse has a bit of class, he seems to be improving still and if Able Friend doesn’t turn up someday he might win a Group 1 himself.”

Moreira increased his season’s tally to 108 as he rode a five-timer. The Brazilian is rapidly closing in on Douglas Whyte’s all-time record of 114 wins in a Hong Kong season, with 20 race meetings remaining.

In the contest immediately after the Champions Mile, Able Friend’s potential Royal Ascot travel companion, Not Listenin’tome, ran a race of merit to finish three quarters of a length third in a Class 2 1000m handicap. The Moore trainee, who holds an engagement in the G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m), shouldered top-weight of 133lb on what was his second Hong Kong start. The four-year-old twice placed at G1 level in Australia.

Turnover for the day’s 11-race card was HK$1.43 billion. The turnover was up by four per cent on this day last year and the attendance was up by 18 per cent.

Mr. Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Today is not about numbers, it is about the excitement of having one of the best horses we have had in Hong Kong since Silent Witness. We hope that Able Friend stays healthy and we hope we see him overseas, showing his colours and endorsing the quality of Hong Kong racing.

“We are very proud to have what we think is the best horse in the world and we will see now how he steps up if he goes overseas,” he said. “Cornel Li said that this is now Hong Kong’s horse and it was interesting to note that usually we have 500 to 600 people coming into the racecourse after race five, but today we had 4,000 people arrive after race five to see Able Friend, so we can see the resonance with the public.”

Photos 1, 2, 3<br>Able Friend, trained by John Moore and ridden by Joao Moreira, wins the Group 1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse today. Rewarding Hero and Dan Excel finish second and third in this HK$14 million event.
Photo 1:
Photos 1, 2, 3
Able Friend, trained by John Moore and ridden by Joao Moreira, wins the Group 1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse today. Rewarding Hero and Dan Excel finish second and third in this HK$14 million event.


Photo 2


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Photos 4, 5, 6<br>Jubilant connections of Able Friend celebrate their victory after the race.
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Photos 4, 5, 6
Jubilant connections of Able Friend celebrate their victory after the race.


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Photos 7, 8, 9<br>Mr Timothy Fok Tsun-ting (first row, second from right), President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, presents the Champions Mile trophy and gold-plated dishes to Dr & Mrs Cornel Li Fook Kwan, Owner of Able Friend, winning trainer John Moore and jockey Joao Moreira.
Photo 7:
Photos 7, 8, 9
Mr Timothy Fok Tsun-ting (first row, second from right), President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, presents the Champions Mile trophy and gold-plated dishes to Dr & Mrs Cornel Li Fook Kwan, Owner of Able Friend, winning trainer John Moore and jockey Joao Moreira.


Photo 8


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Dr Simon S O Ip, Chairman of HKJC; Club Stewards; Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, CEO of HKJC; and the winning connections of Able Friend smile for cameras at the Champions Mile trophy presentation ceremony.
Photo 10:
Dr Simon S O Ip, Chairman of HKJC; Club Stewards; Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, CEO of HKJC; and the winning connections of Able Friend smile for cameras at the Champions Mile trophy presentation ceremony.

Connections of Able Friend share their joyfulness after the race.
Photo 11:
Connections of Able Friend share their joyfulness after the race.

 

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