Able Friend Retired

Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal-Ponte Piccolo {NZ}, by Volksraad {GB}), who attracted legions of fans from all corners of the globe in becoming the highest-rated horse to ever be based in Hong Kong, will be officially retired from racing this weekend and will be celebrated with a farewell ceremony at Sha Tin Racecourse Sunday, May 28.

Bred in Queensland by Ramsey Pastoral Co. Pty, Able Friend was snapped up by George Moore on behalf of the late Dr Cornel Li for A$550,000 from the Turangga Farm consignment at the 2011 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. A Wyong maiden winner at second asking, Able Friend made rapid progress upon his arrival in Hong Kong and defeated his stablemate and fellow future Horse of the Year Designs on Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) in the 2014 Hong Kong Classic Mile (video). Though racing past his optimal trip, Able Friend gutted it out in the final two legs of the series but dropped narrow decisions to his rival in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) (video) and Hong Kong Derby (2000m) (video).

“He means a lot to me because he gave me my first [domestic] Group 1 win in Hong Kong, he gave me my first international Group 1 race here,” Joao Moreira, who rode Able Friend in 17 of his 24 local starts, told the HKJC's David Morgan. “I had to pick between Able Friend and Designs On Rome for the Hong Kong Classic Mile in 2014. I chose Able Friend because I thought he had something special. He won that race, but after that, he got beaten twice by Designs On Rome. What I'm trying to say is, even if I couldn't win the Derby, even if I couldn't win the Classic Cup, I was still very confident in him because I felt like he was a very special horse, one who could win one of the international races. He didn't let me down–he was so good in the Hong Kong Mile later that year.”

The chestnut, who tipped the scales at or around 1300 pounds for the bulk of his career, put together a season to remember in 2014/2015, winning the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile in common canter (video) before adding late-season scores in the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) (video) and the G1 Champions Mile (video), each at long odds-on quotes. Shipped to Royal Ascot for the G1 Queen Anne S., Able Friend was noticeably warm in the preliminaries and never looked at home, finishing a well-beaten sixth to Solow (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}). He finished the season on an international rating of 127, equal-third in the IFHA World's Best Racehorse Rankings. Champion miler and horse of the year that season, his domestic rating topped out at a whopping 138.

Able Friend turned in the least-likely of his 13 career wins in the 2015 Premier Bowl H. Drawn gate 14 and carrying top weight of 133 pounds against most of Hong Kong's top 1200m horses, he lingered at the back of the pack and was last into the final quarter-mile before unleashing the turn of foot that had become his trademark to best Gold-Fun (Ire) (Le Vie Dei Colori {GB}) (video). An injury scare left a decision on a title defence in the 2015 Hong Kong Mile in some doubt, but he nevertheless took his chance, only to finish third to rising star Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}).

After suffering what the HKJC website called a “right front deep digital flexor tendon injury” in January 2016, Able Friend was sent to Australia to recuperate, but, while still competitive once brought back to the races, lacked the killer instinct he once had and was winless in four starts this term. Only sixth in the Hong Kong Mile, he was third in the G1 Stewards' Cup and second in the Queen's Silver Jubilee. He suffered a recurrence of the tendon problem this past March three days ahead of a programmed start in a Class 1 handicap that read like a pattern race.

His trainer John Moore paid tribute Thursday and said: “He was the equal of any horse on the planet at his peak. He'll be known as a legend here, he's earned his place in Hong Kong folklore as that strapping, big chestnut with the electrifying turn-of-foot. The public really took to him, he had them in awe with some of the things he did. He just obliterated the best here in Hong Kong.”

Winner of half his 26 career trips to the post, including nine black-type races, Able Friend amassed earnings in excess of HK$61 million (US$7.8 million).