Hong Kong Cup runner-up Admire Moon continued his rise up the world rankings with a highly authoritative win in the Group One Takarazuka Kinen (2,200m) at Hanshin racecourse in Japan on Sunday.
Owner Richii Kondo made good on his promise to sack star jockey Yutaka Take after his poor ride on Admire Moon in the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup on April 29. Kondo replaced him with Yasunari Iwata, the jockey hero of Japan's Melbourne Cup triumph with Delta Blues.
Iwata made no mistake.
He gave Admire Moon a patient ride behind the breakneck speed set by veteran Lohengrin, who carved out the first 1,000m in a blistering 57.9 seconds.
Coming to the home turn, Iwata had a lapful of horse and actually had to take a stronger hold on Admire Moon before the corner to stop him getting to the front too soon.
In the final stages, Admire Moon moved clear to defeat last year's Tokyo Yushun [Japan Derby] winner Meisho Samson, with Pop Rock a late-closing third.
'I didn't push him too hard in the first half of the race because he tends to run out of steam when he hits the front too early,' Admire Moon's jockey said.