Designs On Rome seen winning the 2014 Gr1 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup
Designs on Rome grabbed a thrilling victory on Sunday in the $3.23 million 2000m Hong Kong Cup — the most prestigious event at the southern Chinese city’s Longines International Races.
The Hong Kong-stabled horse, one of the pre-race favourites, accelerated at the final turn and went past a host of early leaders to sprint to victory and a winner’s cheque of HK$14.25 million ($1.84 million).
Oratorio’s son Military Attack finished second by a margin of only 0.01 seconds, while Australia’s Criterion finished third and Cirrus Des Aigles from France finished fourth.
It was a second win of the day for rider Joao Moreira who also took the Mile on Hong Kong horse Able Friend.
“It’s like a dream come true,” the Brazilian said of his two victories.
The HK$25 million Hong Kong Cup is the highlight of four Group One turf events at the annual meet, which was dominated by local horses this year with three wins.
A crowd of more than 70,000 turned out at the Sha Tin track in the New Territories for the event, which is one of the world’s richest race meetings.
Douglas Whyte – 4 winners on the big day
Able Friend beat Gold-Fun, ridden by Douglas Whyte, in the Mile while Bookies’ favourite Flintshire of France, ridden by Maxime Guyon, triumphed in the 2,400-metre Vase, getting home before Willie Cazals and Khaya respectively.
At HK$23 million, the Hong Kong Mile is the world’s richest turf race over this distance
In the 1200m Sprint Zac Purton won convincingly on Aerovelocity.
“A really good tough effort to win,” he said. “I didn’t necessarily plan to lead but I’ve led on him previously and he began well so that’s how it unfolded,” Purton added.
Peniaphobia — also from Hong Kong — finished the Sprint second, followed by Japan’s Straight Girl.
SA’s former champion Douglas Whyte, 13 times the Hong Kong premiership winner, had a remarkable day as he rode four winners on the undercard and finished second in three of the day’s Group 1 events.
Among his winners were the exciting four-year-old’s Got Fly and Giant Treasure, both trained by Richard Gibson, who provided three legs of Whyte’s four-timer.
