MONEY CATCHER TRYING TO RISE TO GROUP 1 GLORY

By Hong Kong Jockey Club (Declan Schuster) | Thursday, April 27, 2023

Silvestre de Sousa believes Money Catcher has the potential to scale horse racing’s pinnacle.

Twice victorious at Group 3 level in Hong Kong, Money Catcher finished third in the 2022 G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) and also in February’s G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) – form around Golden Sixty and Romantic Warrior that De Sousa hopes can one day transform into Group 1 glory for trainer Frankie Lor’s charge.

“He’s been quite consistent, but I think he is going to hit the line sometime and pinch a Group 1, I just don’t know when but I think he can win one.

“He hasn’t finished too far from the good horses, so that’s the dream. One day maybe they get stuck behind and he manages to get his head in front,” De Sousa said.

FWD Champions Day this Sunday (30 April) at Sha Tin provides Money Catcher with another crack at the top-level in the HK$25 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) when he faces Group 1 winners Romantic Warrior, Dubai Honour, Danon The Kid and Geraldina.

“I galloped him, he feels good and he hasn’t changed much – he’s a bit of a pro,” De Sousa said. “Obviously it will be a tough race with the Japanese horses coming in but I think he should run well.”

Prognosis and the two-time Group 3-winning Tourbillon Diamond round out the projected seven-runner field.

A five-year-old by Ferlax, Money Catcher placed third in both the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) and Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) last season, mixing it with both Romantic Warrior and California Spangle in the 2022 Four-Year-Old Classic Series.

“He’s a very easy ride, he has gate speed and he’s very versatile in that respect,” De Sousa said.

Money Catcher’s Group 3 wins this season came in the G3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin and G3 January Cup Handicap (1800m) at Happy Valley.

De Sousa also rides Healthy Happy for Lor in the HK$20 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) against Golden Sixty, California Spangle and more.

De Sousa and Lor combined for a famous front-running win in tandem when Glorious Forever prevailed in the 2018 G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m).

Frankie Lor