A lunch with Dim Sum's owner David Pong Chun-yee still stands between trainer John Moore and a tilt at the US$2 million Golden Shaheen in Dubai on March 26, but the trainer is confident he can get the thumbs up.
With the Tony Cruz-trained Beauty Flash scheduled to tackle the US$5 million Dubai Duty Free (1,800m) on World Cup night at Meydan and the Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained Dynamic Blitz now assured of a place in the Golden Shaheen, Moore hopes to confirm a Hong Kong team of three for the desert showpiece.
'I do have to discuss it with David, especially now that Dubai has cut back on the travelling staff support they offer, but the trip is basically still 80 per cent free and I really think I can persuade him to go,' said Moore. 'Dim Sum has got some wear and tear in his joints now and I think he'll be even better suited racing on the Tapeta surface than on the turf when he won the Chairman's Sprint.'
Moore said the performance of Dynamic Blitz winning the Al Shindagha Sprint in Dubai had also given the concept a boost.
'To my mind, he's a better horse than Dynamic Blitz, who went over and ran a record,' he said. 'My agent in the UK, who watches Dubai closely, said it probably isn't going to be that strong so Dim Sum looks a great chance on his form here lately.'
Moore also had good news regarding the setback to Derby hopeful Military Move and expects the four-year-old to be back at morning work in the next couple of days.