Tempo tailor-made for Able One, but caveat remains on Viva Pataca
Leading big-race trainer John Moore is confident stable jockey Darren Beadman is on the right horse in tomorrow's Group Two Jockey Club Mile, but there is still a caveat with his old warhorse, Viva Pataca.
Six times in the past two years, Beadman has found himself on the wrong Moore runner in major races, missing out on two Group Ones, two Group Twos and two Group Threes, and last week's Jockey Club Cup upset by Irian over odds-on-favourite Collection was just the latest.
'We do try to get it right but, as I've said to Darren, when the stable has three and four runners in races, sometimes one of the others is going to win,' said Moore, who will have a third of the field of 12 tomorrow.
'Still, it would be difficult to think he isn't on the best runner from the yard in Able One. I'm really happy with how he worked and how he pulled up after his gallop on Thursday. He's in exceptional form.'
The map makers will be just as happy with the multiple Group One winner, as there are few leaders and the tempo looks tailor-made for Able One.
'He will be in the same place as usual - just off the lead, going clear in the straight and then they'll have to run him down,' Moore said.
'I'm sure he'll be in front at the 100m, then it's a case of whether Thumbs Up has improved since he beat Able One first-up. If he has, then he may beat him again with five pounds between them, but I couldn't be happier with my horse.'
Still, there was an optimistic note for former Horse Of The Year Viva Pataca, despite the gelding's advancing years, as he has always pulled out a big run fresh throughout his career.
'If I was Neil Callan coming here for my first day of a riding contract and jumping on Viva Pataca, I'd be pretty pleased about it,' Moore said of the jockey engagement. 'Viva's programme heading towards the Vase was upset by a minor injury and we've had to go this way with him to try to get him fit for that race, but he has gone particularly well.'
The Jockey Club Mile has previously been the International Mile Trial and, prior to that, the Hong Kong Mile horses often used the Chevalier Cup over 1,600m on this day as their lead-up to the international race.
Whatever they have called it, winning has been a good guide going into international day: of the past 10 winners, Good Ba Ba (2007) and Lucky Owners (2003) did the double; six of the other eight have been minor place getters on the main day and three of them runners-up.
