Moore needs a big day as Eagle Way bids for Group 1 glory

Eagle Way
Eagle Way wins the G2 Jockey Club Cup.

Sunday’s (26 May) Group 1 card at Sha Tin could make or break John Moore’s assault on the Hong Kong trainers’ premiership.

“We’ve got one hell of a day!” the handler said as he looked forward to unleashing a team of 13 on the 11-race programme, including star griffin Aethero, as well as Eagle Way in the Group 1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m).

Eagle Way is seeking a first win since he set a 2000m track record in November’s Group 2 Jockey Club Cup. The chestnut rattled home in fast time when runner-up to Beauty Generation over a mile two starts back but failed to land a blow when ninth in the Group 1 QEII Cup (2000m) last time.

“His run in the mile – he looked like he was back in form and would be able to repeat when he ran in the QEII Cup the other day but he let us down – and with give in the ground too – so it was disappointing,” Moore said.

“The jury’s out with respect to whether he’s going to reproduce his best. The distance is ideal, he looks very well and everything, but it’s been a long season. His work leading into the race has been very good but I just expected him to hit the line last time. The fact that he’s mixing his form dims the confidence a bit.”

Umberto Rispoli was in the plate for the Group 1 Queensland Derby winner’s last two races but Neil Callan is booked for Sunday.

“I’ll take him, he’s a good ride,” Callan said. “He’s shown flashes of form and he won the Group 2 earlier in the season. He was very impressive then so we know he can mix it against the same type of horses. It’s all going to come down to draw, tempo, who gets the right run – all the circumstances of the race – but he’s capable. He’s definitely capable of winning.

“It’s an open field. There is not a standout in the race this year so if everything falls right he could be winning.”

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