'Star' Shoots Moore to First HK Derby Win

Three years ago, jockey Ryan Moore was engaged by trainer Richard Gibson to ride Got Fly (Fr) (Early March {GB}) in the Hong Kong Derby, only to sit on the tarmac at Heathrow for three hours. He scraped into Sha Tin with 20 minutes to spare and guided the 11-1 chance to a runner-up effort behind the John Size-trained Luger (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}). There were no such travel faux pas to mention this time around, as Ping Hai Star (NZ) (Nom du Jeu {NZ}), a horse not dissimilar in profile to Luger, came with a breathtaking run through the final 400m to post a 1 3/4-length defeat of Hong Kong Classic Cup hero Singapore Sling (SAf) (Philanthropist) and favoured Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the HK$18-million domestic centrepiece.

As it was for Luger, the 2000m Derby trip was a question mark for Ping Hai Star, who, by Size's own admission wasn't really in the Derby picture earlier this season, but twisted his trainer's arm with three spectacular efforts over 1400 metres coming into the race. With Moore tasked to get Ping Hai Star to switch off in an effort to improve the chances of the gelding staying the distance, the fourth betting choice was settled at the tail of the field as a sweated-up The Golden Age (Fr) (My Risk {Fr}) whipped around the positively ridden Nothingilikemore and Lockheed (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) to take up the running at the 1600 metres. Singapore Sling, who box-seated the Hong Kong Classic Mile (when second to Nothingilikemore) and in victory in the Hong Kong Classic Cup, found himself one away from the inside further back in midfield, while Exultant raced with just the eventual winner behind turning into the back.

The speed was average through the middle sections and The Golden Age traveled well enough entering the final 700 metres as positions remained essentially unchanged. Zac Purton was the first to make any sort of move, edging Exultant out into the clear at the three-furlong point, but he was left no option but to travel very deep as Ping Hai Star was called on for his effort a path or two underneath that one. Ruthven (Aus) (Domesday {Aus}), who had enjoyed the run of the race, tried mightily to claw past the pacesetter as they reached midstrech, but only in vain, as Singapore Sling had both covered entering the final furlong. But Ping Hai Star had found running room with about 300 metres to come and with a lightning ultimate 400m in :21.99 (last 800m in a wicked :44.80), whooshed past for the win. Singapore Sling lost little in defeat, while Exultant posted a come-home time in :22.23 for third.

“It wasn't really the plan, to be that far back, at all,” Moore–winning the Derby at his fifth ride–told Hong Kong Jockey Club's David Morgan. “I just felt I'd ride him with lots of confidence–I believed before the race that he was the one horse that could have more class than anything else in the race and I think that showed. He's just a high quality horse with a very good turn-of-foot; when you get on him he's a big, solid, strong horse, very powerful underneath you.”

As late as January, an entirely different programme was in place for Ping Hai Star, but as good trainers and racehorse managers do, Size called an audible.

“The last time he raced, I saw something that I liked about him as far as a Derby prospect was concerned,” Size said. “He came from the tail of the field, he settled quite nicely, he was very happy to reel off some quick sectionals at the end of the race. The only gamble was whether he was fit enough and had the stamina to run 2000 [metres] with his inexperience. I backed him up quickly into a [barrier] trial at Happy Valley and I was very satisfied with all that, and then it was just a matter of coming to the races and hoping that the race unfolded and was run to suit him.”

Size, who was winning his third Derby (Fay Fay {NZ}, 2012 the other), indicated he would let the dust settle before a decision on a next spot. Horses like Vengeance of Rain (NZ) (2005), Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (2011) and Designs on Rome (Ire) (2014) parlayed Derby success into victory in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup the following month.

The connections of the second and third had no complaints with their horses' runs and gave credit where it was due, while Nothingilikemore's rider Joao Moreira said it was a task too tall.

“He certainly had every chance in the race but he just couldn't run the distance,” the 'Magic Man' said. “The last 600 metres, I could feel that he wasn't going anywhere anymore. I gave him every chance, pushed him to see if he was going to get there, but unfortunately he wasn't able to finish off the race.”

A crowd of 67,205 wagered HK$1.616 billion (£147.6 million/€167.4m/A$266.8m/US$205.9m), a record for a Derby Day program.

Pedigree Notes:
Trained by Stuart Kendrick and raced in Queensland as Ted, Ping Hai Star won twice at the Sunshine Coast and is the second black-type winner for his Raheen Stud/Queensland-based sire, New Zealand's champion stayer of 2009 and upset winner of the 2008 G1 Australian Derby (2500m) as well as the G3 Waikato Guineas at home. Ping Hai Star has a Reliable Man (GB) half-sister now named She's On Time (NZ) that fetched NZ$70,000 at the NZB Select Yearling Sale in 2017 and is represented by a yearling colt of this year by Jimmy Choux (NZ). Vicky, a full-sister to G1 Australian Guineas winner and sire Delago Brom (Aus) and to GSW Brom Fertility (Aus), was most recently bred to Arrowfield Stud-based Japanese Horse of the Year Maurice (Jpn).

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
BMW HONG KONG DERBY-LR, HK$18,000,000 (£1,645,569/€1,863,601/A$2,941,747/US$2,295,386), Sha Tin, 3-18, NH/SH4yo, 2000mT, 2:01.18, gd.
1–PING HAI STAR (NZ), 126, g, 4, by Nom du Jeu (NZ)
1st Dam: Vicky (Aus), by Encosta de Lago (Aus)
2nd Dam: Brompton's Girl (Aus), by Runyon (Ire)
3rd Dam: Brompton Cross (Aus), by El Qahira (NZ)
1ST STAKES WIN. (NZ$40,000 RNA Ylg '15 NZBSEL). O-Zeng Shengli; B-G B & Mrs L A Morton; T-John Size; J-Ryan Moore; HK$10,260,000. Lifetime Record: 10-6-3-0, HK$14,578,960. *Formerly Ted (NZ). **1/2 to Neo (NZ) (One Cool Cat), GSW-NZ & SW-Aus, $218,087.
2–Singapore Sling (SAf), 126, g, 4, Philanthropist–Sing Dixie Sing (SAf), by Western Winter. (R225,000 Ylg '15 CTSPRE). O-Nikki Ng Mien Hua; B-Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert); T-Tony Millard; HK$3,960,000.
3–Exultant (Ire), 126, g, 4, Teofilo (Ire)–Contrary (Ire), by Mark of Esteem (Ire). O-Eddie Wong Ming Chak; B-Ballygallon Stud Limited; T-Tony Cruz; HK$1,800,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, HF, NK. Odds: 4.20, 2.80, 2.40.
Also Ran: Ruthven (Aus), The Golden Age (Fr), Doctor Geoff (Ire), Good Omen (GB), Rattan (NZ), Savvy Six (Ger), Lockheed (GB), Nothingilikemore (Aus), Rivet (Ire), Rocketeer (Aus), Patriot Hero (Ire).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO.