Moore confident with Beauty Generation ahead of Classic Mile
CHAMPION trainer John Moore will have up to seven runners in Sunday’s Hong Kong Classic Mile at Sha Tin, but he’s keen on one runner which impressed at track work.
Moore will feature the likes of Rapper Dragon, former Australian runner Eagle Way and Group one winner Helene Charisma, but it was Beauty Generation which captured his attention during work on Thursday.
Beauty Generation ran 54.8 for its 800m gallop with Zac Purton in the saddle and Moore believes the gelding is on track for the first race of the Four-year-old Classic Series.
“It’s going to be a great race, no doubt, but the way Beauty Generation came off the track this morning – and I had a good look at him in the light – he’s just a different horse,” Moore said.
“He’s trimmed right up. He hasn’t lost weight, but just wait – physically, he’s wow. That’s the only way to describe him.
“Zac came back and said he’s just jumping out of his skin. He’s never been on him when he’s felt this well. He’s going to give Rapper Dragon a run for his money, and Rapper Dragon will have to be near his best to beat him.
“He looked like a horse that’s going to run a very big race on the weekend.”
Beauty Generation ran as Montaigne in Australia, when trained by Anthony Cummings, and it has since won and placed in two Hong Kong starts for Moore.
“The way he came to the corner both times this preparation, you would have thought he was going to win by two or three,” Moore said.
“And then he died on his run both times, but that was to be expected. I had a real query on him the last 50 metres last time in particular, and he still won. But that’s why I had to run him last time.
“He’s come on leaps and bounds for that. Just look at him this morning.”
Rapper Dragon and Eagle Way will have a serious hit-out on Friday morning with Australian jockey Tommy Berry booked to ride Eagle Way.
“Rapper Dragon will be out tomorrow,” Moore said. “He galloped on Tuesday for Joao Moreira and there’s just one more for him on the dirt, he’ll just go three-quarter pace through the motions.
“Eagle Way was on the turf on Monday, he’ll just do three-quarter pace tomorrow as well.”
Helene Charisma won the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris last year and is having its first start in Hong Kong for Moore on Sunday. The colt hasn’t shown much in two barrier trials, but its recent work indicates that it’s on the right track.
“Helene Charisma, we’ve got the French jockey booked for him, Alexis Badel – a good French pairing,” Moore said.
“He worked great this morning. OK, it was with a horse that’s Class 3 or 4 grade in Lotus Strikes Back and he beat him easy, but the fact was, it was confidence building. That’s all I was looking for.
“Fingers crossed with him that he can perform OK and then improve towards the Derby – we’re not pushing the ears off him, we’re just hoping he acclimatises.
“His trials have been ordinary but we’re hoping the light goes on. We’ll be hoping to be hitting the line.”