Joao Moreira is anticipating exciting days ahead with Contentment and the big-race good times could start at Sha Tin Racecourse on Thursday (1 October) in the HKG3 Celebration Cup (Handicap), for which the John Size-trained five-year-old has been allotted a feather-weight 115lb.
The 1400m contest - race nine of 10 - is the second of two Group races on the popular National Day card, the other being the HKG3 National Day Cup (Handicap) - race seven - down the 1000m straight. Moreira believes the talented chestnut has a big chance to clinch a first Pattern race win.
��He��s carrying a light weight so you have to be confident, that is in his favour,�� said Hong Kong��s champion jockey. ��I��m sure he has a big chance, he��s a promising horse that hasn��t got to his peak yet. I believe there��s plenty still to come from him and I��m looking forward to seeing how he goes - he��s a very exciting horse.��
ember of last year but has already notched six wins from nine starts, all at Sha Tin. The twice he has finished out of the first two came when seventh and ninth in the HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m), respectively.
The Hussonet gelding rounded out last term with a brace of wins, latterly a neck verdict over HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile winner Beauty Only, and warmed up for this first start of the current campaign with an eye-catching barrier trial ��win�� last week.
as very pleased with his trial,�� said Moreira. ��He��s just turned five and he seems to be a little more mature, he��s more relaxed, which are positives for him. It means he could have gone and taken another step of improvement. If he has, then he should be competitive on Thursday. He��s been very honest and very consistent in every race and so I believe he will perform to his best again.��
Trainer John Moore��s triple G1 winner Dan Excel heads the Celebration Cup weights with 133lb, while his fellow G1 winner and stablemate Dominant has 128lb on his plate. The high class field of 14 also features the Richard Gibson-trained Dundonnell (129lb).
on the last-named a full 18 months since his only previous race ride atop the dual course and distance winner. Purton was, however, in the plate for Dundonnell��s most recent barrier trial, a 1000m ��win�� on 22 September.
led him up the straight and he trialled quite well,�� said Purton of last April��s HKG2 Sprint Cup (1200m) victor. ��He jumped out nicely and travelled quite strongly throughout. He needed a little bit of work so I gave him a bit of rein towards the line and I thought he lengthened quite nicely. It seems like he��s going well.
in a race once before, in his first season when Ricky Yiu had him, and obviously he��s a more mature horse now. He��s always shown ability but hadn��t been able to put it all together until he started to hit his straps the backend of last season, and if he can just take another slight step he could be competitive in the top races.��
field also features the Tony Cruz-trained Beauty Flame (128lb) and the Moore-trained Rewarding Hero (128lb), both G1-placed last term, as well as the HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile second and third, Divine Calling (114lb), trained by Caspar Fownes, and the Gibson-trained Giant Treasure (114lb).
Last season��s HKG3 Sa Sa Ladies�� Purse (1800m) victor Packing Llaregyb (121lb), trained by Andreas Schutz, will bid for a second win in the grade, as will last season��s HKG3 Premier Plate (1800m) winner Harbour Master from the Moore stable.
s-trained Domineer (125lb) and Rainbow Chic (120lb), the Millard stable��s Super Lifeline (113lb), and the Moore-trained Exciting Dream (115lb) complete the 14-strong line-up.
he day��s main feature contest, the HKG3 National Day Cup (Handicap) features some of Hong Kong��s top sprinters in Peniaphobia (133lb), Amber Sky (129lb), last year��s winner Bundle Of Joy (127lb) and Super Jockey (124lb).
nal Day 10-race card kicks off with the Xian Handicap at 1pm.
