HK - ABLE FRIEND TOO GOOD IN CHAIRMAN'S TROPHY

By Hong Kong Jockey Club | Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Able Friend was expected to brush aside his seven rivals in the HKG2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) at Sha Tin today and he did just that, albeit without the exuberance of his recent impressive wins.

“I think he ran a little bit under what he can produce but still he was just too good. Once again he proved that he is the best horse in town,” said Joao Moreira after he had guided the world’s best turf miler to a length and a quarter success in a time of 1m 33.76s.

The John Moore-trained chestnut, a triple G1 winner this season, secured this mile heat for the second year in succession.

The Tony Cruz-trained Beauty Flame, runner-up to the favourite in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) and G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) in his last two races, set the tempo under Douglas Whyte. Moreira settled Able Friend a handy fourth.

“He put himself in a perfect position and the race panned out for us,” said the Brazilian. “He got a clear run in the straight and I just had to help him out to get up to top speed, and he just got there.”

Able Friend moved into ominous contention at the top of the stretch – as usual – but Moreira had to shake him up and get busy about 250m out.

The Shamardal five-year-old needed to work a little harder than has become customary to put a seal on the contest, but was still eased down three or four strides from the line.

Beauty Flame hung on for second as the winner’s strong-closing stablemate Rewarding Hero took third, a further short-head back, and fellow Moore trainee Dan Excel was another neck away in fourth.

“I’m looking ahead from what he has done today,” said Moreira. “I was happy with that but obviously he wasn’t at his very best there, but I’m still delighted with his performance.”

Owner Dr Cornel Li, whose Able One took this race in 2010 en route to a second Champions Mile victory, told reporters afterwards that any decision regarding overseas race plans will be made after this year’s Champions Mile (3 May).

Royal Ascot’s Queen Anne Stakes (1600m) has been mooted, while the Yasuda Kinen (1600m) and the Singapore Airlines International Cup (2000m) are also options.

Moreira is also taking things one step at a time.
“I think connections did the right thing by keeping him here to go for the Champions Mile in a few weeks’ time and I think we can work it out and make sure he is at the top of his game for that.

"He won the international race in December and I think he can do it again next month,” Moreira said.

The win was the fifth for Moore in the past 10 renewals (2006 Art Trader, 2010 Able One, 2012 Admiration, 2014 & 2015 Able Friend) but the trainer was not on hand to watch the success as he is currently in Australia for the Easter Yearling Sale.

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