Gary Moore has set his sights on a second Hong Kong-Macau Trophy with English import Absolutely Win following his dazzling victory in the G2 Spring Trophy at Taipa on Sunday.
Ridden by Fausto Durso, Absolutely Win simply destroyed his rivals with a brilliant display of speed and stamina to lead throughout and win eased down by four lengths, in a new class record time of 1.20.5 for the 1400 metres.
Moore won the Hong Kong – Macau Trophy at Shatin in 2010 with Viva Pronto and rates Absolutely Win the equal of his former star sprinter.
“That was an electrifying show of blistering speed.” Moore said.
“He has beaten the best that we have in Macau at the distance and did it eased down in record time.
“The Hong Kong – Macau Trophy has always been my goal and he will do the Club proud at Shatin. It’s going to take a good horse to beat him.”
Moore initially purchased the son of Oasis Dream from the Newmarket Horses In Training Sale in the UK last year with the Derby being his sole aim.
The gelding ran a creditable third to Elderly Paradise over the 1800 metres on a very heavy track albeit 12 lengths away, but it’s clear that sprinting is his forte with Sunday’s win his third victory since being switched back to the shorter distances.
Clown Master who won the Macau leg of the Interport Series in 2011 ran on bravely for second under Peter Ho in Sunday’s race, with long-shot Fantasticprivilege running a career best in third for Frankie Leong.
The win gave Moore a winning double on the day with Happy School Boy powering home in the first under Steven Choi to win the Class 5 over 1500 metres.
Moore has pinched a 10 win break over Alan Tam and Geoff Allendorf in his quest for his seventh Macau trainer’s title.
Moore on 28 leads Tam and Allendorf (18), with Pat Lee off to a good start on 17 wins.
Fausto Durso took the riding honors on Sunday with a winning treble to take him to eight winners for the season as he continues to reel in the leading brigade at the top of the list in the riders standings.
Durso missed almost three months of the new season but has quickly staked his claim for another jockey’s championship, riding his eight winners in two months back in action.
The two time Macau champion started his day with an easy win on the K C Hoi prepared Sunshine Charming in the Class 4 & 5 over 1200 metres.
The three year old gelding was coming off a nice third at his latest start behind Power Purdey when he raced greenly and the gelding showed that he had reaped plenty of benefit from that outing when he led throughout to bolt in to defeat Multiwin (Frankie Choi), with Montaquila (Luis Jurado) close up in third.
Anson from the Peter Leyshan yard gave Durso another armchair victory when he raced away for a big win in the Class 3 over 1950 metres.
Irish bred Anson had caught the eye with a strong finishing fourth behind Luen Yat Blackberry after coming from well back over 1800 metres last start, and the extra 150 metres proved to be right up his alley.
The son of Noverre had won a race at Redcar in the UK by six lengths over 1600 metres prior to coming to Macau, and looks to have a good future in the enclave over the staying distances.
After chalking up his treble for the afternoon on Absolutely Win in the Spring Trophy, Durso came close to a four timer for the day when Rayson was narrowly beaten into third in a close three way go in the last of the day the Class 3 over 1200 metres.
The race was won by the course specialist Golden Bullet (Roger Yu), who made it win number five at the 1200 metre trip.
An impressive winner was the Steven Choi prepared Gold Coast who proved too superior for his opposition in the 0 to 50 rated contest for 3 & 4 Year Olds over 1100 metres.
Ridden by Champion Korean jockey Moon Seyoung, Gold Coast led throughout and showed a nice turn of foot to race away in the straight when called on to beat General’s Steed (Peter Ho), with Captain Sunshine (Andy Helfenbein) in third, setting a new class record of 1.02.9 in the process.
An eye catching chestnut son of the former top English two year old in Excellent Art, from the Marauding mare in Miss Apps, Gold Coast was a $74,000 purchase at the Gold Coast Magic Millions Sales in 2011.
