In April 2011, Hong Kong-based agent George Moore–the son of legendary local trainer John Moore–paid A$550,000 for a son of Shamardal at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. Able Friend is one of many success stories for which Moore can take credit, and he kindly shared some of his buying philosophy with the TDN.
TDN: What sort of process is involved in seeking out horses for private purchase into Hong Kong?
GM: “Currently, I do all the research for Europe, New Zealand and Australia. It is something I do every morning, I look at horses and how they would fit in here. Then, I will call trainers or owners directly to purchase their horses. This ensures the speed of the sale, therefore allowing me to procure horses faster than anyone else.”
TDN: And when deciding what horses to make a play for, what factors are most important?
GM: “I have certain things that I am looking for in horses. Of course, a large part is their form and also what I have seen from their race footage. But then, there's the physical aspect. We select horses that meet our criteria in size and scope and also their conformation in front. Horses with poor conformation–long, sloppy pasterns, or offset knees–they are rejected as they can't handle the firm tracks of Hong Kong. Also, we use three individual vets around the world to ensure that our purchases undergo the most thorough vetting process–one of them is Ben Mason, who used to be our vet here in Hong Kong and who knows the problems associated with specific X-ray developments. Hong Kong owners come in all shapes and sizes, they all have different things they are looking for and they have different requirements, so we look for a horse to match the owner.”
TDN: The Moore barn is stocked with promising 3- and 4-year-olds heading towards the Hong Kong Classics. Can you tell us which you hold the most hope for?
GM: “Of the horses I've bought in this last few months, the ones that I'm looking forward to seeing most are [G1 Rosehill Guineas runner-up] Montaigne (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}) (now Beauty Generation {NZ}); [G1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris winner] Mont Ormel (Fr) (now Helene Charisma {Fr}); and [two-time European winner] Out And About (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (now Booming Delight {Ire}). Actually, Booming Delight debuts on Sunday. They are from three different countries and represent the vision that we have for our business.”
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