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It has been a peculiar campaign for Designs On Rome. Hong Kong’s 10-furlong king has seen his crown slip since undergoing arthroscopic surgery at the end of last season.
The spark of a trademark surging win in February’s G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup and an upbeat report from Joao Moreira suggest the old fire still burns as the six-year-old heads into Sunday’s (22 May) G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m).
“He feels as good as we would wish him to be,” said the Brazilian ace, set to reunite with the former Horse of the Year on whom he won a brace of G1s last season. “If the ground is not that bad (wet) on Sunday he can win, I’m confident of that.”
Trainer John Moore rates Hong Kong’s latest star, Werther - the soaring heir to the champion’s crown - as the pick of his four for the HK$10 million showcase. The Tavistock four-year-old won the HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) in March and put daylight on a world-class field when sluicing away with last month’s G1 AP QEII Cup (2000m).
But back in 2014, Designs On Rome had arguably a better profile than Werther heading into the season-capping Champions & Chater; victory over no less a rival than Able Friend in both the HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Cup and Hong Kong Derby and his own impressive triumph in the AP QEII Cup, yet the Irish import failed that season’s final test with a lacklustre fifth to Blazing Speed.
“There’s always that query, given that he has failed at the mile and a half,” said Moore. “He’s an exceptionally good horse at 2000 metres but at 2400 he still has to prove it.
“The only other time he tried this race it was the end of a tough season. Then the pace of the Dubai race never suited his run style, but he closed off well; he was ridden quietly that night though, so you’d expect him to close off.”
That Dubai race was the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic run at Meydan in March 2015, the only other time Designs On Rome has attempted the mile and a half. Moore’s charge closed off solidly from the tail to claim fourth without threatening the winner, Dolniya. Moreira was in the plate.
“I have no doubts about the distance,” said Hong Kong’s record breaking Champion Jockey. “He ran really well in Dubai at the 2400 metres and I don't think he was 100 percent that day - if he brings that form to the race on Sunday, he’s a winning chance anyway.”
Moreira has a three from eight record on Designs On Rome but has only partnered the Holy Roman Emperor gelding once so far this season. That was for a fourth-placing in December’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), a race the pair teamed up to win a year earlier. Designs On Rome is one win from six starts for 2015/16, by far his worst strike rate in four seasons at Sha Tin, and heads into Sunday off a moderate fifth to Werther in the AP QEII Cup. But the bay’s solid piece of work through 800m on the Sha Tin turf early Monday morning has left Moreira expecting a big run at the weekend.
“He feels really good now and he hasn't had as tough a season as he had two years ago when he tried this race - he had a really tough season that time,” he said. “As we know, soft ground would make Werther too hard to beat. It was like watching him taking candy off a baby on that softer ground last time, but if the ground is right Designs On Rome has what it takes to win.”
Moore was delighted with the rider’s assessment after Designs On Rome had galloped home in 52.7s (27.2, 25.2) on Monday.
“Joao came back and said if this horse had been in the same condition in December he’d have run much closer in the Hong Kong Cup,” revealed Moore. “He said the horse feels like he’s in top form and he felt no issues with his soundness, so that feedback was good to hear.”
The trainer also has Victory Magic and Helene Happy Star engaged for the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup. The former was a head second to Werther in the Hong Kong Derby, won a 2200m Class 2 handicap next start and was a well-beaten seventh in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup latest.
“There’s still a question mark over Victory Magic, too, as to whether he can get the 2400,” said Moore. “Joao rode him up close in the Victoria Derby (2500m) in Australia and he finished nowhere, so I think just a patient ride will suit - there are only eight horses in the race and if he gets a nice soft run in behind he’s going to have a chance but there’s still a query about the distance. He is a fit horse, though.
“I really think he wasn’t at ease on that softer surface last time. He didn’t let down 100 percent, it was disappointing. But he came back sound and we have to discount that run. We need a firm track on the weekend for him to show his best again.”
There are no stamina concerns for Helene Happy Star. The gelding’s biggest win came at the course and distance in last season’s HKG3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup on a yielding track. A close second to Designs On Rome in February’s G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup hinted that a top level breakthrough might be within reach, and the five-year-old’s run in the AP QEII Cup last start holds more merit than his finishing position might suggest.
“Helene Happy Star could be the pace in the race along with Ambitious Champion, perhaps,” said Moore. “It was unfortunate the way the QEII Cup was run, when he was forward and trapped out wide. The plan we had worked out was scotched when so many jockeys wanted to be on the pace early on. He had to do too much early - no fault of the jockey; that was the instruction. He kicked in the straight and was clear, as expected, but he’d done a lot of work to get there. It was a good run, all things considered.
“He’s no slouch. In the Hong Kong Gold Cup here in February he came off the speed and closed off like he was going to win.”
The Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup is the third leg of the Hong Kong Triple Crown. Giant Treasure won the first leg, the G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m), at Sha Tin in January and Designs On Rome took the second leg, the Hong Kong Gold Cup.
