John Moore-trained Designs On Rome made the quantum leap from Derby winner to international Group One performer in a way requiring the least possible explanation on Sunday as he dethroned last year's Audemars Piguet QE II Cup winner, Military Attack.
Designs On Rome (Tommy Berry) set himself up to take the older gelding's Horse Of The Year crown too, after a home stretch scrap between the two of them left Designs On Rome a neck clear of stablemate Military Attack (Joao Moreira) and left him with no excuses.
"The winner is definitely the best 2,000m horse in Hong Kong," conceded Moreira. "My horse had his chance."
For Berry it was a second QE II win in as many attempts, after he won on Military Attack last year, but the taste of victory was so different this time and not only because of the difficult emotional times of the past few weeks after the sudden and unexpected passing of his twin brother, Nathan.
"It's different this time because I've been with this horse for a while and been with John's team for a lot longer than when I won last year, so that's different too," Berry said. "This horse, he loves a dogfight like he had today. I'll be surprised the day he gets beaten - he never gives up and the day he gets beaten it'll be because something's just too good for him.
"I came with plenty of confidence today because he was the one in the race who hadn't had to travel between runs; John spaces his runs and he gets it right. He's here on his home track and you saw in the Derby he made a long run - today with a smaller field, he was going to pick them up easier."
"There was a little scare when Military Attack came through inside us, but you always know I've got a little bit more left when I haven't pulled the stick through to the right, because he always gives more when I do."
Berry opened his new club jockey contract with a double after winning earlier for Moore but hinted that the licence, currently through to the end of this season, might end up a longer stay: "It's something we have to sit down and talk about later."
Moore said Designs On Rome will have a final run for the term in the Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) before a break and thoughts of foreign fields in the future.
"His owner is very keen to go to Dubai so the horse can prove himself next year but that's a long way away at this stage - for now we'll take it one race at a time and he'll have one more, then a well deserved break," said Moore, who was just as happy that Military Attack had performed so well on returning from his trip to the Dubai World Cup.
"I think we've proved that we can do it coming out of Dubai today. Military Attack has run really well and I think the key is that they can return and perform as long as they are gaining weight as they settle back into their home environment. He'll go on to Singapore now and try to win the Cup there back to back."
Third placed Vercingetorix looked to be slightly held up in the run home but jockey Anthony Delpech wasn't finding excuses.
"The 2,000m is really the furthest he wants to go and the first two were getting away from him again late in the race after he got clear," he said.
The bid of Japan's Epiphaneia vanished after he was trapped wide throughout the race while his compatriot Uncoiled was expected to lead but missed the jump, chased to get to the box seat but was never a contender.
Derby third placegetter Dibayani ran with credit to just miss taking fourth, and trainer Michael Chang Chun-wai said he too will go on to the Champions & Chater Cup.
