Leading big race trainer John Moore finds himself in the unusual role of spoiler in the HK$6 million Centenary Sprint Cup on Sunday, but hopes Frederick Engels and Charles The Great can advertise their credentials ahead of Dubai World Cup invitations.
Moore has kept their options open, with both sprinters entered for the two big sprints at Meydan on March 30: the Golden Shaheen, 1,200m around a turn on the tapeta track, and the Al Quoz Sprint over the straight 1,000m on turf.
"My other horse, Sterling City, would find the 1,000m too short and he was only entered for the Golden Shaheen, but I wanted to keep the options open with these two," Moore said. "Actually, Charles The Great's owner hasn't decided yet whether he wants to go, but a good run in the Centenary Sprint might help to make that choice. Frederick Engels would probably be better in the 1,200m, the race where he had no luck last year, but if he was selected for the 1,000m, he'd be hitting the line hard in that, too."
And today's Group One down the Sha Tin straight will have a role to play in all the decisions about trips and distances with Moore in the unfamiliar position of being the underdog.
Sha Tin Sprint Trophy winner, Go Baby Go, the defending champion of the last two editions, Eagle Regiment and up-and-comer Amber Sky have won 19 of their collective 31 starts down the straight and have dominated discussions on the race. Moore's runners - Frederick Engels, Charles The Great and Straight Gold - have managed to come up with three of the inside draws in a race, which has not been the trainer's best over the years, with only one previous winner.
"I can always be sure of drawing a low gate when I don't want one - as we all know, the inside barriers are a disadvantage in the straight races so 2, 4 and 5 weren't ideal," Moore said. "But I am happy with my horses themselves. I backed off Frederick Engels after the international, freshened him up and let him put some body weight on and he's very sharp. He'll need plenty of luck from that gate two, but he's done everything right."
Moore said Straight Gold's last failure was due to being unable to get cover, while Charles The Great is flying under the radar. "He's very genuine and Douglas Whyte is thrilled with how he's been going on the track," Moore said.
