Sterling City confirmed himself as a top-line sprinter with a classy win as well-backed favourite in the Group Two Premier Bowl, but trainer John Moore believes beaten stablemate Frederick Engels can turn the tables when they clash next month.
Backed into start 3.1 top pick, Sterling City duly saluted, giving jockey Joao Moreira his first big race win of his Hong Kong career - his first victory for Moore - and all but booking a place in December's Group One Hong Kong Sprint.
First comes the Group Two Jockey Club Sprint on November 17, where the set-weight and penalties conditions will favour yesterday's fast-finishing fourth-placegetter and topweight Frederick Engels, who carried six pounds more than the winner yesterday and was beaten two lengths.
"Sterling City is a first-up horse and very clean-winded - obviously from the betting there was a lot of public confidence and he delivered. He will now go to the Jockey Club Sprint," Moore said.
"But he will meet Frederick Engels there, and I was very happy with his run, considering the weight he carried, how far back he was in the run and where he finished. And when they meet again under the set weights, then I'm sure Frederick Engels will be the horse to beat, not Sterling City."
Backing Moore's claim was the fact Frederick Engels produced slightly faster final splits than Sterling City, coming from third-last on a track where it was difficult to make ground.
Moreira used gate five to perfection on the winner, positioning him in a one-off spot before peeling clear in the straight to beat home Bullish Champion and another stablemate, Charles The Great. The Brazilian did get a stern warning from stewards for shifting ground in the straight though.
"He hung in a little in the straight and I tied up the horse inside me, the stewards were very kind to not charge me," Moreira said.
"After that he put his mind and his heart on the job and he got there. He has proven himself as a good horse. He is not a big horse, but he has a very big engine. Hopefully I can win a couple more on him."
