Dubai: Five-time champion trainer John Moore upheld Hong Kong's awesome record in the BMW Champions Mile when he sent out Xtension to win Monday's thrilling renewal of the Group 1 contest at Sha Tin racecourse.
No overseas horse has ever won the race since it was thrown open to international challengers back in 2005 and the ex-Australian handler preserved that impressive record with a great training performance.
Thrilling finish
Ridden by jockey Darren Beadman, Xtension prevailed in a thrilling finish from Lucky Nine, winner of the Hong Kong Classic Mile in January , while 2010 UAE Derby winner Musir was third under Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon.
Moore has won the Hong Kong Trainers Premiership five times and in 2005 broke Brian Kan's record for most career wins by a trainer in Hong Kong racing. Last month, he saddled Sunny King to finish third to Rocket Man in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan racecourse.
Strong challenge
The Luca Cumani-trained Presvis, a winner of the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free on the same day at Meydan was expected to post a strong challenge aimed at ending locally-trainer runners' flawless record in the Mile, but he could only finish sixth under jockey Ryan Moore.
Dropped back to a mile for the first time in almost three years, Presvis ran his typical race, settling at the back of the field before making his run in the closing stages as he did to win in Dubai. But Moore was always battling for an opening in the 14-field race and although Presvis looked to be full of running he was left with too much to do and could not rein in the front five.
While Presvis was bidding for a third Group 1 success after winning the 2009 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin and the DDF last month, Xtension was landing the first victory of his career at the top level having finished a good second to Ambituous Dragon in last month's Hong Kong Derby.
He is a four-year-old son of Xaar.
Musir, who is owned by Dubai's Shaikh Mohammad Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, was also expected to continue ace South African trainer Mike de Kock impressive record in Hong Kong. De Kock has previously tasted success in Hong with Irridescence, Archipenko and Eagle Mountain.
Musir was seventh to Japan's Victoire Pisa in the $10 million Dubai World Cup (Group 1) at Meydan last month.
Results:
At Sha Tin racecourse in Hong Kong
BMW Champions Mile (Group 1)
Prize money: HK$12million (3yo+) 1600m (a8F) Turf:
1.Xtension (trained by John Moore) ridden by David Beadman; 2. Lucky Nine (Brett Prebble; 3. Musir (C Soumillon); Beauty Flash (G Mosse).
Distances: ½ length, ½, ¾. Time: 1:34.71
