Group racing returned to Happy Valley after a decade's absence last night and the big players didn't let anyone down, with big race jockey Gerald Mosse topping off a good night and claiming the Group Three January Cup, 1,800m, on Pure Champion.
Mosse rode three winners on the night, scoring with Best Noodle for Peter Ho Leung and Great Renown for Richard Gibson, but he was at his feature race best on Pure Champion for Tony Cruz, finding a space with cover in the run before letting the five-year-old stallion loose in the stretch to claim Packing Ok (Jeff Lloyd) impressively in the final 100m.
'Last time I was forced to lead in the very slow pace but he is a much better horse when you give him a chance early, he has a really nice turn of foot,' Mosse said.
Trainer Cruz said that Pure Champion, purchased as a potential classic horse last term, had been much better acclimatised this time.
'I think the club should have more of these lesser Group races - you know there aren't many Group races a season here in Hong Kong and so many owners now are going and spending big money for Derby horse,' Cruz said. 'Only one can win the Derby and, especially these European horses, they can take a long time to settle in.'
Pure Champion was fraught with the usual problems for many European horses, with mucus issues for much of last season as well as foot problems.
'He kept getting quarter cracks in his hind hoofs and was very difficult to shoe - in fact, he had to be sedated to put shoes on him and is still difficult,' Cruz said. 'But he is stronger now, he isn't having the mucus problems and he's racing well. This is probably his distance, 1800m, but there aren't many features at that distance.'