Joao Moreira’s faith in Contentment as a Group 1 winner in waiting remains undimmed despite three consecutive defeats heading into Sunday’s (31 January) HK$10 million G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m).
The Brazilian ace has partnered the Hussonet five-year-old to five of his eight career wins, four of those in an unbroken sequence incorporating his last two starts of last term and his first two of this. Since seeing off a host of top-level gallopers to win the HKG2 Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy (Handicap) at the course and distance back in October, the highly-regarded chestnut has posted three smart efforts whilst failing to notch another “1” in the form line. That includes a solid fifth, two and three quarter lengths behind Japan’s Horse of the Year Maurice, in December’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile.
“His run in the international mile was fantastic,” said Moreira, who partnered third-placed Able Friend on that occasion as Nash Rawiller took the reins. “He’s been a very good horse so far, one of the best around at the distance, and he’s going to be right there fighting for the win on Sunday.”
Trainer John Size opted for a fairly swift return for Contentment after that effort, pitching him into the HKG3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup (Handicap) over 1400m on New Year’s Day. The Australian-bred emerged with kudos in defeat as he placed third under a 132lb burden, a length and a quarter behind the feather-weighted winner Multivictory (114lb).
“He gives the feel that he can be a Group 1 winner,” said Moreira. “It could be on Sunday or it could take a little bit longer. Right now he’s going very well and I’m more than happy to be riding him in the Stewards’ Cup. It’s an open race and he has a good chance.”
The field of 11 is without Hong Kong’s side-lined champion Able Friend, on whom Moreira won this prize last year, but the cast is not lacking in G1-winning quality with the likes of Designs On Rome, 2014 winner Blazing Speed, Military Attack and Dan Excel in the line-up, while other high performers include last year’s HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner Luger, last season’s HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile victor Beauty Only, and another graduate of last year’s four-year-old series, recent LONGINES Hong Kong Mile runner-up Giant Treasure.
“Giant Treasure is another, like Contentment, that is right there trying for that first Group 1. Giant Treasure should be favourite if you take his last run, which was very good, but if you look further back, they have met many times and Contentment has always been there - sometimes in front and sometimes just behind,” observed Moreira.
The head-to-head between the two stands at three apiece, but while Giant Treasure took the latest round in the Hong Kong Mile, Contentment was on top the previous thrice, holding his grey adversary in second when winning the HKG3 Celebration Cup (Handicap); consigning Giant Treasure to fifth when taking the Sha Tin Trophy; and finishing two places ahead off level weights when second in November’s G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile.
“Whoever gets the best luck on the day might be winning, might be breaking through,” said Moreira. “And then you have other established Group 1 horses in the race; a horse like Designs On Rome, if he brings his ‘A’ game, even if it’s not his best distance, he’s going to make it very interesting.”
The Stewards’ Cup is the first leg of the Hong Kong Triple Crown Series, which continues with the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) on 28 February and concludes with the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) on 22 May.
