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Admiration, the four-year-old colt trained by John Moore and ridden by Brett Prebble, claimed his first Group win when he edged out the favourite Glorious Days in the Chairman's Trophy to record his first success 1600m.
Photo by HKJC
Admiration had previously finished third three times over this distance while runner-up Glorious Day was making his first attempt at 1600m after four Hong Kong wins and a second over 1400m.
John Moore's other runners, Able One, Sunny King, Irian, Leading City, Destined For Glory took third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.
Irian is entered for the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup on April 29 while his five stablemates are entered for the BMW Champions Mile on May 6.
Moore was immediately looking ahead to the Champions Mile where Admiration will clash again with Glorious Days and evergreen Able One, who himself was only beaten just over a half-a-length in third after looking a winner at one stage.
With stable jockey Darren Beadman sidelined indefinitely, Moore is calling more often on Brett Prebble for riding duties and he credited the Australian's vigour in the finish as vital in staving off hot favourite Glorious Days by a neck.
"Brett made the difference for sure and he really got the job done," Moore said.
"We've always had high hopes for Admiration but he is a bit colty and he needs someone like Brett who is strong in a finish and really makes him do it."
The winner came out and contacted Glorious Days in the closing stages but the stewards decided a protest was not needed.
At a price tag of A$625,000 (HK$5 million), Moore's son George purchased Admiration for owner Hui Sai-fun from the 2009 Sydney Easter Sale.
"He's got a terrific nature and he's always been a lovely animal and he'd be an ideal stallion," Moore said.
"The following year at the same sale, we tried to buy the full brother to him for Mr Hui, but Coolmore was too strong and they paid, I think, A$$700,000."