Jeff Lloyd wins G1 Hong Kong Mile on Able One
“A 9-year-old with a 50-year-old on his back, it’s just great” is how South African Jeffrey Lloyd exclaimed, after booting home Able One (NZ) to win the US$2.6m Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile (1600m) at Sha-Tin on Sunday in emphatic fashion after being dramatically scratched at the start, when favourite, in 2010, reports LIESL KING.
It was second time lucky for the nine-year-old, who skipped clear on the rail and held out Steve Drowne’s mount, Cityscape.
Able One had gotten himself cast in his stable just prior to the 2010 race, with trainer John Moore commenting that one would have thought that at his age he would have learned to sleep without injuring himself.
Well he had certainly learned how to run, and despite an interrupted career due to stress fractures, it remarkably all came together again over his favourite distance of a mile at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Flying Blue led from the jump and set a fast gallop down the back straight opening up four lengths on the field. Lloyd was content to sit in second on Able One, with the favourite Extension(IRE) and Cityscape(GB) at the rear of the field.
No challenges came until the 200m mark when Lloyd sent Able One forward with plenty in hand. The gelding won comfortably by a neck from a fast finishing Cityscape, who was forced to circle the field before mounting a challenge, with Xtension a short head back in third.
“I am going to recommend to the owner that it is his farewell season, but we may consider going overseas, perhaps Dubai. He is the most amazing horse that I have trained, coming back from five stress fractures to win a Group 1 at nine” said Moore.
“I was going to go out and ensure a nice pace, but still give my horse every chance, so I was very happy to see Flying Blue doing the work for me. The pace was genuine and he was travelling as well as any horse could. It was a surprise the way he took it up, we were quick enough and nobody could come up my outside” commented Lloyd.
“This is the greatest thrill of my life. To win an international Group 1 on a nine year old is pretty amazing” added Lloyd.
It was Able One’s 11th career victory and his third Group 1 win from 41 starts for owners Dr & Mrs Cornel Li Fook Kwan.
Able One, by Cape Cross out of the Danehill mare Gardenia, won in a time of 1.33.98.
Scratched at the gate when favored for last year’s Mile, Able One, got first run when that one raised the white flag at the 300 and held off a desperately unlucky Cityscape and his charging
stablemate Xtension for a win at the ripe age of nine.
He=d won the G2 Jockey Club Mile leading up to last
year=s race, but his scratch made life that much easier
on Beauty Flash (NZ) (Golan {Ire}), who pounced from
just off the pace to score. The bay hadn=t done much
this term to indicate he could be a factor in a race like
this, though he was a long-odds fourth to California
Memory in a domestic Group 2 Oct. 30 ahead of a
weakening eighth behind Destined for Glory (Ire)
(Azamour {Ire}) in the G2 Jockey Club Mile Nov. 20.
Outsprinted in the early stages as Flying Blue tore away
to lead by three down the back, Able One traveled in
his customary style, head down on his chest waiting to
be called upon. The pacesetter tired from his early
efforts, and Jeff Lloyd send the veteran to the lead
with a furlong and a half to the wire. Cityscape, drawn
wide and off the track every step of the journey,
showed a tremendous amount of grit and stamina in
the stretch, but could not quite get to Able One, who
took it by a neck. AThis win has given me the biggest
buzz of my career, not just here in Hong Kong,@ Lloyd
commented. AA 9-year-old with a 50-year-old on his
back, it=s just great. The race unfolded perfectly, with
Flying Blue taking it up, so we had the trail. It was
almost too good to be true.@ Xtension found a bit of
traffic in the stretch, but came home gamely once he
saw daylight to narrowly miss second. AI think he
probably wins if he didn=t have Cityscape sitting outside
us,@ his jockey Darren Beadman stated. AHe couldn=t
quite quicken fast enough, and he felt like a 2000-
meter horse.@
