Rapper Dragon too classy in Hong Kong Classic Mile

Rapper Dragon
Rapper Dragon is on track for the Derby after beating a quality field in Sunday’s Classic Mile

TRAINER John Moore had many chances in Sunday’s Hong Kong Classic Mile, but it was the punters’ elect Rapper Dragon which took the prize.

The quality four-year-old closed as the $2 favourite at Sportsbet.com.au and it pulled away in the straight for a comfortable victory with Joao Moreira in the saddle.

John Moore has yet to train a Classic Mile winner which has continued on to win the Derby, but Rapper Dragon looks a strong chance to break the drought after the likes of Tiber and Able Friend couldn’t get the job done in the past.

Rapper Dragon was having only its second run this campaign after a setback in October, but the current Derby favourite showed its class on race day.

“The setback didn’t ever endanger his career, but we had been looking at running him in the international races before it happened and had to rethink his programme,” Moore said.

“All it did was put him back on solely a Derby preparation again.”

Moore explained that it was easy to get Rapper Dragon back into full health, but he didn’t think beating the likes of Pakistan Star and Beauty Generation would come so easily.

“I’ve been telling the press for weeks that this is the cleanest-winded horse I’ve had in the stable for donkeys’ years and, from that point of view, he was very easy to get fit,” Moore said.

“He had a nice trial, his work was good and I was tipping him as the best of my runners and he has won by two lengths – I didn’t expect that he would win that easily.”

Moore does have concerns about keeping the Australian-purchased gelding ticking along for the Derby.

“The way he went there, I’d say he was 100 percent fit today, so the idea is to keep him at that level for the next two runs, culminating in the grand final, the Derby,” Moore said.

“And it’s a big congratulations to my son George, who spotted this horse as a two-year-old with Gai Waterhouse in Sydney and arranged the sale. He’s bought a top-class horse.”

Winning jockey Joao Moreira was told to settle the gelding closer to the pace, which came as a surprise to the Brazilian.

“I thought I would be back and sweeping around them like Rapper Dragon usually is but when I came out before the race, John said to try to be in the first five, which surprised me but when he jumped so well I had no trouble putting him there,” Moreira said.

“He got in a decent position, went to sleep and he was beautiful, nice and relaxed. The only moment I had any concern was getting behind a horse I didn’t think would kick and take me into the race but then I didn’t even have to push out anywhere.

“The run just appeared, he took it and he didn’t surprise me or anyone else, he showed just how much class he has and the way he did it, you wouldn’t doubt him at 1800m or 2000m.”

Seasons Bloom finished off well for second with Nash Rawiller in the saddle, just tipping out the Moore-trained Beauty Generation – formerly Montaigne in Australia.

Pakistan Star sat wide throughout and battled on well just in behind the placings with former Australian runner Eagle Way making late ground down the outside.

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