Designs On Rome wins the 2014 Gr1 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup
Designs On Rome ran out a thrilling winner of the Group One Audemars Piguet QEII Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday to land a one-two for trainer John Moore.
The Hong Kong Derby winner had to overcome a strong challenge from stablemate Military Attack inside the final furlong, but he just got up in the last strides under Tommy Berry to prevail.
Another stablemate, Same World, had taken them along in the early stages of the ten-furlong contest, with Military Attack sitting in fifth in the early stages and Designs On Rome held up in the rear.
The race began to develop before the turn for home with Berry making his move down the outside on Designs On Rome, while Military Attack stuck to the inside under Joao Moreira.
The eventual runner-up hit the front before the furlong pole, but Designs On Rome was in hot pursuit down the centre of the track and after a tense battle it was the Derby winner that managed to get his head in front where it mattered.
Berry, whose jockey brother Nathan died in Sydney earlier in the month after being struck down by illness in Singapore, said afterwards: “We haven’t found the bottom of this bloke yet and I’m proud to be associated with him and the owners. I’m riding a bit better with my brother riding with me now so it’s two for the price of one.”
The finishing order was:
Designs On Rome
Military Attack
Vercingetorix
Epiphaneia
Dibayani
Packing Whiz
Same World
Dominant
Sanshaawes
Uncoiled
(Source: Skysports)
