Celebrating 20 years since the charismatic American horse won the inaugural Dubai World Cup, it was close but no Cigar for the seven-strong Hong Kong team at Meydan on Saturday night.
Three-handed in both of the sprints, Hong Kong runners came in second, fourth and fifth behind Sole Power in the Al Quoz Sprint then followed up with a two-three finish behind American sprinter Secret Circle in the Golden Shaheen on dirt, each time looking to have the race in their keeping.
The Sheema Classic was different, though, as a walking pace left Designs On Rome without an angle from his outside draw and with too much to do when the accelerators were pushed, finishing soundly but unthreateningly into fourth behind French filly Dolniya.
"There wasn't much Joao Moreira could do about that - we were worried about the pace before the race and it just didn't suit him," said trainer John Moore.
"He looks to have pulled up OK, his sectionals would have been as good as the winner and I think he's run well. He'll come back now for the QE II Cup."
But from the frustrating defeats sprung new hope, as jockey Douglas Whyte threw the weight of his experience and opinion behind a push for Peniaphobia to tackle the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and trainer Tony Millard now has the Breeders' Cup in his sights for Super Jockey.
Whyte said he thought Tony Cruz-trained Peniaphobia was the winner going into the final 150m of the Al Quoz Sprint, but found only Ireland's Sole Power a half length too strong late.
"He jumped well, tracked up behind the speed horses, but they were no use to me by the time we got to the 300m," Whyte said. "He kicked strongly and, honestly, I thought he was home. Sole Power has obviously come off my back and been too strong at the finish but we know what a good horse he is when he's on song so that was no disgrace."
Cruz had floated the idea of a trip to Royal Ascot if Peniaphobia ran well and Whyte said the plan was a good one: "He'd be the ideal candidate the way he has handled this trip. He's still only a young horse, just turned four, and it was his first trip away and I think he was better mentally here than he's been in Hong Kong. He is still improving and was very brave in defeat."
Amber Sky led as he had in last year's Al Quoz win, but did not have the same kick this time, while Bundle Of Joy surprised his connections by travelling roughly all the way.
"He was never on the bit, which isn't him," said trainer David Hall. "He's run well considering that but maybe the trip over left him a bit flat. It's unlike him."
Then it was the turn of the dirt quicks to be tantalisingly close as Super Jockey and Rich Tapestry chased home Secret Circle in the Golden Shaheen and Lucky Nine disappointed, but later scoped with mucus in his throat.
The Tapeta track was replaced at Meydan after the 2014 World Cup for a dirt surface to entice the North Americans and Secret Circle justified that move with his Golden Shaheen win, but trainer Tony Millard said only a nightmare outside barrier draw had beaten Super Jockey. He went down by a diminishing head margin, and the trainer was calling for a rematch.
"So that's it, we're going to the Breeders' Cup, if we can get an invitation," said Millard, defeated but nevertheless delighted with second. "What a gutsy performance that was, but it will be his last run this season. The weather will get too hot for him now in Hong Kong so he'll take a break and we'll map out a plan to get to the Breeders' Cup."
Michael Chang Chun-wai offered no excuses for Rich Tapestry in third, but was not talking of any repeat trip to America for his charge: "He ran as well as he could, he raced very well and I'm happy," Chang said. "In the end, the Breeders' Cup trip last year was very expensive so I don't think he will be going back."
