Opinion | Although different is style, Moore and Size standard setters in their own unique ways

The changes to compulsory retirement for trainers aged 65 and up – which has been dubbed by some, perhaps unfairly – “the John Moore rule”, delivers Hong Kong racing far more than just five more years of safari suits, Class One cup winners and media-friendly post-race interviews.

Maybe it should be regarded as the “John” rule though – as even though 63-year-old John Moore could be the first big name to benefit, John Size isn’t far behind him at 58 – and the loss of both expat Aussies would leave an unfathomable void when it comes to consistent importation of talented horseflesh to Hong Kong.

Between “the two Johns”, both hemispheres are covered – Moore has become a master of finding the right pre-raced Europeans, and importantly, horses with scope to deliver more. While Size’s stable is part of a production line pumping out progressive Australian- and New Zealand-bred youngsters.

They are both innovators and leaders in their field – yet they have an approach that is so different they can happily co-exist. Sometimes it seems like Moore and Size aren’t even rivals. It’s because their goals are different – Moore wants the most prize money, and Size wants the most wins.

When you talk about getting too big for your fishpond, well, Hong Kong racing is so small it is a not even a budget fishbowl from the Mong Kok Goldfish Market – a win to one person is one less for someone else, and there’s only so much fish food to go around. Yet, despite this, the “sharks” - Size and Moore – could both conceivably have a career-best season at the same time.