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Moreira magic as Peniaphobia sparkles in LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint

13/12/2015

Hong Kong’s Peniaphobia, brazenly ridden by Joao Moreira for legendary Hong Kong trainer Tony Cruz, defied drawing the outside barrier 13 to sustain sizzling speed from start to finish and win today’s HK$18.5 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.

It was ‘magic man’ Moreira’s 300th winner in Hong Kong; his 55th for the season - which is more than double the tally of his nearest rival - and his third LONGINES HKIR win following his victories on Able Friend and Designs On Rome last year.

Peniaphobia’s win was a seventh HKIR success for trainer Cruz, which edges him one win clear of John Moore. And it was a second straight Sprint victory for Hong Kong after the Paul O’Sullivan-trained Aerovelocity overcame Peniaphobia by just a neck last year.

Cruz had a very simple explanation for the bold tactics employed on the horse who has now won seven of his 19 starts in Hong Kong. “He has a lot of early speed so you’ve got to use it. I thought he could cross them and Joao (Moreira) could relax him and wait for the straight,” he said.

Cruz said that Peniaphobia might now be overseas bound but wouldn’t ignore races in his own backyard. “We’ll definitely enter for Dubai and maybe think about England as well,” said the handler.

Moreira described the four-year-old son of Dandy Man as a ‘brilliant’ racehorse. “I used him a little bit to get across but he came back to me and gave me a beautiful ride. It’s not that hard when you’re talking about a good horse. He’s so professional.

“He’s been knocking on the door a few times and he made it today. Thank God I was aboard, he was meant to win the race,” Moreira said.

Peniaphobia, second favourite in Hong Kong, held on to beat the race favourite Gold-Fun by a half-length with Not Listenin’tome completing a Hong Kong trifecta by finishing third, a further half-length back.

Another local, and stablemate of the runner-up, Dundonnell was fourth. It was a frustrating result for trainer Richard Gibson given that Gold-Fun had also run second on international day last year - on that occasion in the Hong Kong Mile.

Best of the visiting runners was the fifth-placed Mongolian Saturday, this year’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint hero, who held on very well after a wide run close to the speed.

Photo 1, 2, 3<br>
Tony Cruz-trained Peniaphobia (No.6) under Joao Moreira defeats Gold-Fun (No.1) to win the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint, also the final leg of 2015 Global Sprint Challenge, at Sha Tin Racecourse today.
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Photo 1, 2, 3
Tony Cruz-trained Peniaphobia (No.6) under Joao Moreira defeats Gold-Fun (No.1) to win the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint, also the final leg of 2015 Global Sprint Challenge, at Sha Tin Racecourse today.


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Photo 4, 5, 6, 7<br>
Peniaphobia��s jockey Joao Moreira, trainer Tony Cruz, owner Huang Kai Wen and related connections celebrate their success after taking the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.
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Photo 4, 5, 6, 7
Peniaphobia��s jockey Joao Moreira, trainer Tony Cruz, owner Huang Kai Wen and related connections celebrate their success after taking the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint. nt>


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Photo 8, 9, 10, 11<br>
Club��s Deputy Chairman Anthony Chow presents the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint winning trophy and bronze statuettes to Peniaphobia��s owner Huang Kai Wen, winning trainer Tony Cruz and jockey Joao Moreira.
ttp://racing.hkjc.com/image/201512/news_2015121301704_8-W180.jpg
Photo 8:
Photo 8, 9, 10, 11
Club��s Deputy Chairman Anthony Chow presents the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint winning trophy and bronze statuettes to Peniaphobia��s owner Huang Kai Wen, winning trainer Tony Cruz and jockey Joao Moreira. /span>


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Photo 12, 13, 14<br>
Kevin Rollenhagen, Managing Director of The Swatch Group (HK) Limited, presents souvenirs to Peniaphobia��s owner representative, trainer Tony Cruz and jockey Joao Moreira.
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Photo 12, 13, 14
Kevin Rollenhagen, Managing Director of The Swatch Group (HK) Limited, presents souvenirs to Peniaphobia��s owner representative, trainer Tony Cruz and jockey Joao Moreira. nt>


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All smile to cameras at the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint trophy presentation ceremony.
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All smile to cameras at the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint trophy presentation ceremony.

Happy connections share their moment with media for the success of Peniaphobia in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.
Photo 16:
Happy connections share their moment with media for the success of Peniaphobia in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.

Club��s CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges presents the 2015 Global Sprint Challenge final leg trophy to Huang Kai Wen, owner of the winning horse Peniaphobia in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.
Photo 17:
Club��s CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges presents the 2015 Global Sprint Challenge final leg trophy to Huang Kai Wen, owner of the winning horse Peniaphobia in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.

A toasting ceremony was held at Jockey Club Box after the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.
Photo 18:
A toasting ceremony was held at Jockey Club Box after the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.

John Messara, Chairman of Racing Australia, presents a prize of HK$5,000 to the groom responsible for Gold-Fun, the Best Turned Out Horse in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.
Photo 19:
John Messara, Chairman of Racing Australia, presents a prize of HK$5,000 to the groom responsible for Gold-Fun, the Best Turned Out Horse in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.

 

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