Trainer John Size and jockey Joao Moreira spoke of vindication and feeling humbled in an unusually emotion-charged response to their win with Hong Kong’s most consistent sprinter Beat The Clock (Hinchinbrook) in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) on Sunday at Sha Tin.
Moreira declared he would cherish the win “all my life” while Size wiped away a tear or two after the ever-reliable Beat The Clock beat stablemate Hot King Prawn (Denman) with sprinting’s would-be-king Aethero (Sebring) the same margin back in third.
“There’s no way I could be any happier.,” said Moreira who’d earlier won the afternoon’s first Group One on Glory Vase (Deep Impact) in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m).
“What a pleasure to be on top of two very nice horses, particularly this guy. He is such a good horse, so consistent, he tries his best always and being his rider is just unforgettable.”
He was even more effusive at the later post-race press conference about the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale graduate, who was sold out of the Prima Park draft for $200,000 and has now won nine races and not missed the first three in 23 starts.
“When the gates opened, he wasn’t fast enough. He didn’t settle where we wanted him to be which was a pair closer but once we were turning for home I could feel I had plenty in my hands and I realised he was coming to win the race with one furlong (200m) to go,” Moreira said.
“This will be in the back of my mind all my life. I’ve been associated with this horse for quite some time.
“Some people were doubting how good he was and rating him second to other horses in the race.
“He went there to prove today he’s the best sprinter in Hong Kong. And the best part of it is I don’t think that’s it, I think there’s more to come from him.”
Size made repeated reference to the horse’s character when asked about his remarkable consistency.
“It’s just his character I guess, his will to win and fighting spirit; all the good things that good horses have, he has all those attributes,” he said.
“He helps himself a lot with his training as he saves his energy for raceday.
“I think he’ll sleep for a week now. He used every ounce of energy in his body in today’s effort and it’s humbling to see a horse do that actually.”
Beat The Clock gave notice of what was to come when he won on debut at Sha Tin in November 2016 and the six-year-old son of Hinchinbrook now boasts three Group One wins.
“This was one of his best performances today, if not his best,” Size said, “and he will feel it. They’re only flesh and blood no matter how good their character.
“It’s very humbling to watch a horse like that.
“It’s just natural to be emotional when a horse does something like this.
“It humbles you, that is the best word I can think of.
“It means plenty to win here. It’s always meaningful to perform well at international level in front of your home crowd.”
