By Alan Carasso
A two-time Group 1 winner going a mile over the Sha Tin turf course, Kazumi Yoshida's Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) had been pointing for a start in the HK$25 million G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup ever since running second to Logotype (Jpn) (Lohengrin {Jpn}) in the G1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo in June. The plan came to a successful conclusion Sunday at Sha Tin, as Maurice took flight beneath Ryan Moore entering the stretch, took aim on defending titlist A Shin Hikari (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) with a withering run into the final eighth of a mile, claimed that one with a minimum of fuss and raced away for a decisive and convincing three-length tally.
That outcome could scarcely have been predicted at the start. Customarily a good horse from the gates, he bombed the break alongside Designs on Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), and whereas he raced fairly handy to the pace when winning the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) six weeks ago, he found himself far off loose-on-the-lead A Shin Hikari. But the Longines World's Best Jockey called upon the skills that won him that award, waiting for just the right time before cutting Maurice loose.
“Fortunately there was good pace in the race and halfway down the back I thought it was sitting up nicely for him and it was just a matter of finding the room,” Moore explained. “As soon as he got room and I put him into gear he just let down exceptionally well. He finished off easily and he got to the leader early and then he was just easing up really. He has improved every time I've ridden him.”
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
LONGINES HONG KONG CUP-G1, HK$25,000,000 (£2,558,364/ €3,034,967/A$4,315,690/US$3,222,201), 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:00.95, gd.
1–MAURICE (JPN), 126, h, 5, by Screen Hero (Jpn)
1st Dam: Mejiro Frances (Jpn), by Carnegie (Ire)
2nd Dam: Mejiro Monterey (Jpn), by Mogami (Fr)
3rd Dam: Mejiro Quincey (Jpn), by Fidion (Fr)
(¥1,575,000 Ylg '12 HOKSUM; ¥10,500,000 2yo '13 HOK2YO). O-Kazumi Yoshida; B-Togawa Bokujo; T-Noriyuki Hori; J-Ryan Moore; HK$14,250,000. Lifetime Record: Horse of the Year, Ch. Sprinter, Ch. Miler & MG1SW-Jpn, 18-11-2-1, HK$71,555,030. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: D+.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]2–Secret Weapon (GB), 126, g, 6, Choisir (Aus)–Just Devine (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). O-Leung Lun Ping; B-; T-Dennis Yip; HK$5,500,000.
3–Staphanos (Jpn), 126, h, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Kokoshnik (Jpn), by Kurofune. O-Carrot Farm Co Ltd; B-; T-H Fujiwara; HK$2,500,000.
Margins: 3, HF, NO. Odds: 7-10, 10-1, 17-1.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]Also Ran: Lovely Day (Jpn), Blazing Speed (GB), Horse of Fortune (SAf), Elliptique (Ire), Designs On Rome (Ire), Queen's Ring (Jpn), A Shin Hikari (Jpn), Gun Pit (Aus), Helene Super Star.
Click for the HKJC.com chart and VIDEO. HKJC.com PPs. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Originally mooted as a possibility for the G1 Dubai Turf, Maurice instead remained at home and prepared for a return to action in the Champions Mile back at Sha Tin. With no Able Friend around as a potential fly in the ointment, Maurice cruised around Sha Tin to yet another facile success. Maurice had a two-race prep towards this career-ending performance, a runner-up effort to Neorealism (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}) in a salty renewal of the G2 Sapporo Kinen in August ahead of a defeat of G1 Dubai Turf hero Real Steel (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo Oct. 30. Despite the reasonably convincing nature of that score, some still questioned Maurice's ability to run a strong 2000m, but the 5-year-old silenced those doubters in no uncertain terms in the waning hours of Sunday afternoon.
Happy enough to let A Shin Hikari open a daylight advantage, Maurice was switched off near the back of the pack, and Moore by all accounts knew what was underneath him, as he seemed to be in no hurry to wind up the odds-on favorite. Held together on the turn as A Shin Hikari led by a near double-digit margin, Moore pinched ground at the fence and had Maurice in full gear as they hit the stretch. Sent through an opening outside of Helene Super Star (War Front) and to the inside of Secret Weapon (GB) (Choisir {Aus}), Moore had A Shin Hikari in his sights, pulled tight against Maurice's left rein so as not to run up on his heels and the duo streaked home to score very impressively. Secret Weapon stayed on into second, while Staphanos parlayed a perfect trip into a third-place effort.
“There was a good pace to the race, and going down the backstretch I thought things were going well, it was just a question of finding a way through,” Moore added. “When I asked him, he picked up, and really he got to the front almost too soon. He was a special horse at a mile, and at 10 furlongs he's even better. He has improved every time I have ridden him.”
Drama Pre-Race And At the Gate:
There were some tense moments prior to the running of the Cup. A Shin Hikari was led into the parade ring as the Mile was being run, but he shook loose of his bridle and took a couple turns of the paddock before being caught. He was uninjured and was passed fit to run. Secret Weapon was dismounted by jockey Zac Purton a short time before the field was set to load and was subsequently examined by vets. After about five minutes and a consultation with Purton, Secret Weapon was given a green light to run.
Pedigree Notes:
Though Maurice has been heretofore best at a mile, his sire won the G1 Japan Cup at 12 furlongs, while his grandsire, Grass Wonder, won the 2500-metre Arima Kinen back-to-back in 1998 and 1999. Carnegie, the sire of Maurice's dam, won the 1994 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Mejiro Frances's dam Mejiro Monterey was a four-time black-type winner over trips 10 furlongs and beyond. Mejiro Frances has been bred back to Screen Hero in each of the last two years, producing a full-brother to Maurice in 2015 and his full-sister earlier this year.
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