Moore full of Admiration for Prebble
John Moore had the weight of numbers and he got the upset result in the Group Two Chairman's Trophy and the beautifully-bred colt Admiration might have laid down a foundation for what to do when he grows up.
With stable jockey Darren Beadman sidelined indefinitely, Moore is calling more often on Brett Prebble for riding duties and he credited the Australian's vigour in the finish as vital in staving off hot favourite Glorious Days by a neck.
'Brett made the difference for sure and he really got the job done,' Moore said. 'We've always had high hopes for Admiration but he is a bit colty and he needs someone like Brett who is strong in a finish and really makes him do it.'
Stewards had a look at the videos of the finish as, for the second time in a row, Prebble was on a winner who came out and contacted Glorious Days in the closing stages - Lucky Nine had done the same to the John Size-trained Glorious Days in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup before surviving a protest - but the panel decided a protest was not needed.
'The margin was closer last time but Glorious Days did get quite a hefty bump today,' said Size. 'It may have cost him the race but the neck margin probably worked against him getting a protest.'
At a price tag of AU$625,000 (HK$5 million), Moore's son George purchased Admiration for owner Hui Sai-fun from the 2009 Sydney Easter draft of Widden Stud, which acted as agent for the Encosta De Lago colt's breeders, and that stud farm has shown hints of interest in having him back one day.
'Antony Thompson suggested to me Admiration even go back and compete for some black type in Australia, because nobody there really knows him and it could stir some public interest in him as a stallion. But now he's got his Group Two win and he is on his way,' Moore said. 'He's got a terrific nature and he's always been a lovely animal and he'd be an ideal stallion. The following year at the same sale, we tried to buy the full brother to him for Mr Hui, but Coolmore was too strong and they paid, I think, A$$700,000. And the second colt was nice, but probably not as nice a baby as this one. He stood out.'
Prebble had been aboard Admiration three runs back when fourth to Aashiq in a handicap at 1,400m but said he felt a difference horse this time.
'Maybe he had a few issues then because he laid in and really laboured to finish it off but he was different today,' Prebble said. 'I thought he put the writing on the wall against Lucky Nine and Glorious Days last time and he's done a better job today than it looked. Able One put the hammer down on the turn and Admiration was the first to give chase so he had to sustain quite a long run. He is a bit of a colt though, a bit of a chicken heart. Able One rolled out towards him and he shifted away and got himself a bit unbalanced, but I think he'll be even better next season and he'll put his hand up as one of the really good milers.'
Moore was immediately looking ahead to the next round, the Group One Champions Mile, where Admiration will clash again with Glorious Days and with evergreen Able One, who himself was only beaten just over a half-a-length in third after looking a winner at one stage.
HK$5m
The amount owner Hui Sai-fun paid for their beautifully-bred Admiration from the 2009 Sydney Easter draft of Widden Stud
