Moore furious at Derby dawdle

Many of the best four-year-old racehorses in town were walking wounded yesterday after the stop-start Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby on Sunday, and reigning champion trainer John Moore promised he 'won't let that happen again as long as I'm training'.

The David Ferraris-trained favourite Sweet Orange returned from the HK$16 million race with cuts to a hind leg after another runner galloped on him, and at least two of Moore's six Derby runners emerged from the classic 'cut to bits', he said.

'The winner was up out of trouble in the pathetically slow tempo, while back in the field everyone was trying to stay off the horses in front of them,' Moore said.

'Dominant and Military Attack have been cut to bits and most of mine are showing signs of having been galloped on somewhere. Some are front legs, some are back legs but with everybody on each other's backs in that sort of slow tempo.

'I'll tell you this much - it won't be happening again as long as I'm training. In the past, I've had stayers like Mighty High or Viva Macau with a natural front-running racing style that ensures these good races aren't run like the Derby was on Sunday and I'll be looking for more of them.'

Moore said the injuries to his four-year-olds were nevertheless superficial and would not significantly interrupt plans for them. 'We will look towards the QE II Cup with them and we'll see which of them manages to get an invitation,' he said.

Ferraris was equally as upset over the tempo in the race, with Sweet Orange suffering a nasty cut to a back leg, but he said he was extremely disappointed with Tye Angland's ride on his other runner, Liberator.