Carrying a five-pound penalty as one of two in the field as a Group 1 winner and weighing in better than 20 pounds heavier than he was for his last-out defeat of Beauty Flame in the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup Mar. 15, Able Friend was fractionally less brilliant than he has been in four previous runs, but nevertheless proved far too strong in this final local prep for the G1 Champions Mile May 3.
The second highest-rated horse according the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings on the strength of wins in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, the G1 Stewards Cup over 1600 meters and the aforementioned seven-furlong Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup, the big chestnut started a dime on the dollar Tuesday and jumped well to race in a more forward position than his last couple of runs as Beauty Flame burned across from the eight hole to take up the running.
With Joao Moreira riding the heavy favorite in his typical quiet fashion, Able Friend was carted into the stretch by his stablemate Secret Sham (Aus) (Shamardal) before peeling off that one's heels in upper stretch. Having enjoyed a reasonably soft time of it on the lead, Beauty Flame had something left when confronted by Able Friend, who felt a rare left-handed whip inside the final 200 meters, but the result really never looked in serious doubt, as the certain Horse of the Year had a clear margin to spare over the pacesetter and Rewarding Hero, who closed off nicely from last.
“I think he ran a little bit under what he can produce, but still he was just too good,” Moreira said of Able Friend, who, despite being short of his best, still clocked :21.96 for his final 400 meters. “He put himself in a perfect position and the race panned out for us. 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.” Click for the HKJC.com chart, HKJC.com PPs and video.
CHAIRMAN'S TROPHY, HK$3,875,000 (US$499,861), Sha Tin, 4-7, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:33.76, gd/fm.
1–ABLE FRIEND (AUS), 128, g, 5, Shamardal–Ponte Piccolo (NZ), by Volksraad (GB). (A$550,000 yrl '11 INGEAS). O-Dr & Mrs Cornel Li Fook Kwan; B-Ramsey Pastoral Co Pty Ltd; T-John Moore; J-Joao Moreira; HK$2,208,750. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-HK, 17-11-4-1, HK$44,509,180.
2–Beauty Flame (Ire), 123, g, 5, Footstepsinthesand (GB)–Lucy Diamonds (Ire), by Orpen. (€7,500 wnlg '10 TATFLT). O-Kwok Siu Ming. HK$852,500.
3–Rewarding Hero (GB), 123, g, 6, Exceed and Excel (Aus)–Caldy Dancer (Ire), by Soviet Star. (80,000gns yrl '10 TATOCT). O-Lee Fung Tai. HK$445,625.
Margins: 1 1/4, NO, NK. Odds: 1-10, 8-1, 11-1.
Also Ran: Dan Excel (Ire), Real Specialist (NZ), Glorious Days (Aus), Secret Sham (Aus), Rainbow Chic (Ire).
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