CONTENTScampaign.hkjc.com/en/2016-champions-mile/champions-mile-media... · 01 Contents & Media Contacts MEDIA CONTACTS ... 2005 10 814 19,509 2004 10 877 30,633 ... DAO DAO (3rd)

01

CONTENTS

01 Contents &Media Contacts

MEDIA CONTACTSPatrick CummingsExecutive Manager, Public Affairs (Racing)[email protected]: +852 2966 8977

Julia TsangPublic Affairs Manager (Racing Marketing)[email protected]: +852 2966 7254

Larry YeungPublic Affairs Manager (Racing Operations)[email protected]: +852 2966 7696

CONTENTS AND MEDIA CONTACTS

02 Did You Know?

03 Turnover and attendance (Since 2001)

04 Barrier Draw Data (Since 2001)

05 Race History

06

07 Record Dividends(Since 2001)

08 Last Year’s Race

Past Winners(Since 2001)

0910 12 13

First Four With Sire(Since 2001)

Last Start Performances of Winners (Since 2001)

Winning Trainers(Since 2001)

Winning Jockeys(Since 2001)

02

Did You Know?

01Trainer John Moore has won this race six times

since 2007, including four consecutive between

2010 and 2013. Able Friend (2015) and Able One

(2007 & 2010) provided three of those in the colours of the

race’s most successful owners, Dr & Mrs Cornel Li Fook Kwan.

05Three horses have won the Champions Mile

twice: Bullish Luck (2005 & 2006), Able One

(2007 & 2010), and Xtension (2011 & 2012).02A total of 27 overseas horses from eight coun-

tries (Australia, France, UK, Japan, Ireland,

New Zealand, South Africa and UAE) have

contested the Champions Mile since the race was opened to

international runners in 2005.

03Variety Club is the only overseas winner. The

South African champion won the 2014 running

by four lengths, the longest winning margin in

the race’s history. He is also the only winner to have started

from a double digit barrier (12).

04Only three race favourites in the past 15 run-

nings have won the race, the latest being Able

Friend last year. Sent off at odds of 1.2, he is

the shortest price winner in this race’s history.

06Three Champions Mile winners did so after

competing at that year’s Dubai World Cup

meeting- Variety Club (2014: 1st in G2 Godol-

phin Mile), Xtension (2012: 5th in G1 Dubai Duty Free) & Bull-

ish Luck (2006: 5th in G1 Dubai Duty Free).

07Casino Prince is the only three-year-old to have

contested the race since it became an interna-

tional event in 2005. This Australian runner

finished last of nine in the 2007 renewal.

03

Champions Mile Day Turnover and Attendance (Since 2001)

YEARNUMBER OF

RACESTURNOVER

(HK$ million)ATTENDANCE

2015 11 1,431 26,905

2014 11 1,375 22,983

2013 10 1,273 24,253

2012 11 1,121 24,418

2011 11 1,036 26,506

2010 10 1,085 37,102

2009 10 912 41,191

2008 10 948 48,459

YEARNUMBER OF

RACESTURNOVER

(HK$ million)ATTENDANCE

2007 10 938 42,842

2006 10 869 29,379

2005 10 814 19,509

2004 10 877 30,633

2003 10 980 30,470

2002 10 1,188 49,337

2001 10 1,153 53,405

04

BARRIER DRAW DATA (Since 2001)

DRAW 1ST 2ND 3RD

1 2 3 1

2 3 0 3

3 1 1 0

4 1 2 2

5 0 0 3

6 0 2 1

7 2 2 1

8 3 1 0

9 2 1 1

10 0 1 1

11 0 0 0

12 1 1 1

13 0 0 0

14 0 1 1

05

RACE HISTORY

The Champions Mile is the only one of Hong Kong’s 11 Group 1

contests to have been established after the turn of the millen-

nium. That first edition came in 2001 and carried a purse of

HK$4.5 million. The race was established initially as a HKG1

contest, designed as a finale for Hong Kong’s star milers, and it

was the Brian Kan-trained Red Pepper that scored under Eric

Legrix.

International runners were first welcomed in 2005 when the

prize money rose to HK$8 million. In a classic clash of the ti-

tans, Bullish Luck edged his great stablemate Silent Witness.

That result ended the latter’s unbeaten streak that had stretched

through 17 races. Bullish Luck became the first two-time winner

when he followed-up in 2006.

The Champions Mile attained international G1 status in 2007

and Able One took the spoils. The John Moore-trained gallop-

er triumphed again in 2010, by which time the race was worth

HK$12 million (increased in 2009). Moore rattled off an unbro-

ken streak of four wins as Xtension took the next two renewals

for the trainer and Dan Excel battled to victory in 2013. Able

Friend’s 2015 triumph, when the prize fund rose to HK$14 mil-

lion, gave Moore, the race’s winning-most trainer, a sixth suc-

cess.

Moore’s winning run was punctuated in 2014 when South Afri-

ca’s Variety Club, trained by Mike de Kock, became the first and

only overseas raider to win the Champions Mile. Other notable

winners down the years include Good Ba Ba (2008) and Elec-

tronic Unicorn (2003).

The Champions Mile ranked 17th in the International Federation

of Horseracing Authorities’ 2014 World’s Top 100 G1 Races, the

highest of all six eligible G1 races in Hong Kong that year, and

was equal 22nd in the 2015 Top 100.

06

PAST WINNERS (Since 2001)

YEAR HORSE (COUNTRY BRED) A/W/S JOCKEY TRAINER OWNER MARGIN DRAW ODDS GOING TIME

2015 ABLE FRIEND (AUS) 5/126/g Joao Moreira John Moore Dr & Mrs Cornel Li Fook Kwan 1 1/4 2/6 1.2F GF 1.35.39

2014 VARIETY CLUB (SAF) 5/126/h Anton Marcus Mike de Kock Mrs I Jooste & M J Jooste 4 12/14 12 G 1.34.11

2013 DAN EXCEL (IRE) 5/126/g Weichong Marwing John Moore David Philip Boehm SH 1/10 5.6 G 1.33.42

2012 XTENSION (IRE) 5/126/h James McDonald John Moore Mr & Mrs Steven Lo Kit Sing 1/2 8/14 18 G 1.35.23

2011 XTENSION (IRE) 4/126/c Darren Beadman John Moore Mr & Mrs Steven Lo Kit Sing 1/2 7/14 4.2 GF 1.34.71

2010 ABLE ONE (NZ) 7/126/g Darren Beadman John Moore Dr & Mrs Cornel Li Fook Kwan 3/4 8/12 11 G 1.33.66

2009 SIGHT WINNER (NZ) 5/126/g Brett Prebble John Size Mr & Mrs Tam Wing Kun SH 9/11 65 Y 1.34.97

2008 GOOD BA BA (USA) 6/126/g Olivier Doleuze Andreas Schutz John Yuen Se Kit 1 4/10 1.6F G 1.33.50

2007 ABLE ONE (NZ) 4/126/g Mick Kinane John Moore Dr & Mrs Cornel Li Fook Kwan 1 1/4 7/9 33 GF 1.34.50

2006 BULLISH LUCK (USA) 7/126/g Brett Prebble Tony Cruz Wong Wing Keung 1 1/2 2/13 12 GF 1.33.70

2005 BULLISH LUCK (USA) 6/126/g Gerald Mosse Tony Cruz Wong Wing Keung SH 2/13 9.3 GF 1.33.70

2004 FIGURES (NZ) 4/126/g Torsten Mundry David OughtonFinancial Investors Group Syndicate

1/2 8/12 35 GF 1.34.20

2003ELECTRONIC UNICORN (USA)

7/126/g Robbie Fradd John Size Lo Ying Bin 2 1/4 1/10 1.4F GF 1.36.20

2002 JEUNE KING PRAWN (AUS) 4/126/c Weichong Marwing Ivan Allan Mr & Mrs Lau Sak Hong SH 9/14 4.5 SH 1.35.20

2001 RED PEPPER (GB) 4/126/g Eric Legrix Brian Kan Mr & Mrs Chau Kam Chuen 3/4 3/10 9.4 G 1.37.50

# Raced as a HKG1 since 2001, and as a G1 since 2007

07

RECORD DIVIDENDS (Since 1986)

BET TYPE DIVIDEND (HK$) YEAR HORSE(S) ODDS

Win $651.00 2009 SIGHT WINNER 65

Place $92.00 2013 HELENE SPIRIT (2nd) 75

Quinella $2,105.00 2009SIGHT WINNER (1st) 65

EGYPTIAN RA (2nd) 6

Quinella Place $1,070.00 2009SIGHT WINNER (1st) 65

DAO DAO (3rd) 27

Tierce $103,889 2009

SIGHT WINNER (1st) 65

EGYPTIAN RA (2nd) 6

DAO DAO (3rd) 27

Trio $8,812 2009


EGYPTIAN RA (2nd) 6

DAO DAO (3rd) 27

First 4 $6,799 2009


EGYPTIAN RA (2nd) 6

DAO DAO (3rd) 27

GOOD BA BA (4th) 3

Quartet $1,004 2015

ABLE FRIEND (1st) 1.2F

REWARDING HERO (2nd) 19

DAN EXCEL (3rd) 15

REAL SPECIALIST (4th) 83

08

Last Year’s Race

Purse: HK$14,000,000 Distance: 1600m Status: Group 1Going: Good to Firm Winning Time: 1m 35.39s

RANK HORSE AGE WEIGHT TRAINER JOCKEY DRAWMARGIN (LBW)

ODDS

1st ABLE FRIEND 5 126 John Moore Joao Moreira 2 - 1.2F

2nd REWARDING HERO 6 126 John Moore Neil Callan 1 1.25 19

3rd DAN EXCEL 7 126 John Moore Tommy Berry 4 1.5 15

4th REAL SPECIALIST 7 126 John Size Karis Teetan 3 2.5 83

5th SECRET SHAM 5 126 John Moore Douglas Whyte 5 3.75 44

6th LUGER 4 126 John Size Zac Purton 6 10.5 3.6

The 2015 Champions Mile was all about Able Friend. Runner-up to Variety Club as a four-year-old 12 months prior, John Moore’s stable star had swept all before him through five straight wins stretching back to November, among them a sensational record-margin win in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile, an emphatic Stewards’ Cup (1600m) tri-umph and a stunning get-out-of-jail burst of acceleration that clinched the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m).

Only five rivals opposed and it was that year’s talented HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner Luger, trained by John Size, that was expected to prove the only serious threat to the big chestnut’s dom-inance. Able Friend started at odds of 1.2, Luger 3.6, 15.0 and more the rest.

The 2013 Champions Mile winner, Dan Excel, priming for what would be a second triumph in the G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup (2000m) later in the month, took the field along as Joao Moreira set-tled stable mate Able Friend last but one, tracking the Zac Purton-rid-den Luger. Moreira began his move on the turn into the home straight, cruising around his rivals as Luger began to feel the heat. The Brazilian was nigh on motionless as the Shamardal gelding rolled effortlessly to the lead at the 200m mark and eased home under a hold for a length and a quarter verdict in 1m 35.39s.

Luger trailed in last and was found post-race to have displayed an ir-regular heart rhythm. Of the Six runners, Moore supplied four and Size two. Moore completed a clean sweep of the places with Rewarding Hero and Dan Excel.

09

Last Start Performances of Winners (Since 1999)

YEAR WINNER LAST START PLACE FINISH

2015 ABLE FRIEND (AUS) Chairman's Trophy (HKG2) HK 1st

2014 VARIETY CLUB (SAF) Godolphin Mile (G2) UAE 1st

2013 DAN EXCEL (IRE) Chairman's Trophy (HKG2) HK 2nd

2012 XTENSION (IRE) Dubai Duty Free (G1) UAE 5th

2011 XTENSION (IRE) Hong Kong Derby (HKG1) HK 2nd

2010 ABLE ONE (NZ) Chairman's Trophy (HKG2) HK 1st

2009 SIGHT WINNER (NZ) Chairman's Trophy (HKG2) HK 5th

2008 GOOD BA BA (USA) Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (HKG1) HK 1st

2007 ABLE ONE (NZ) Premier Plate (HKG3) HK 5th

2006 BULLISH LUCK (USA) APQEII Cup (G1) HK 5th

2005 BULLISH LUCK (USA) APQEII Cup (G1) HK 6th

2004 FIGURES (NZ) Chairman's Sprint Prize (HKG1) HK 11th

2003 ELECTRONIC UNICORN (USA) Chairman's Trophy (HKG2) HK 1st

2002 JEUNE KING PRAWN (AUS) Hong Kong Derby (HKG1) HK 13th

2001 RED PEPPER (GB) Class 1 handicap (--) HK 3rd

10

FIRST FOUR WITH SIRE (Since 2001)

FINISH HORSE (BRED) SIRE

1st ABLE FRIEND (AUS) SHAMARDAL (USA)

2nd REWARDING HERO (GB) EXCEED AND EXCEL (AUS)

3rd DAN EXCEL (IRE) SHAMARDAL (USA)

4th REAL SPECIALIST (NZ) STORMING HOME (GB)

2015


1st VARIETY CLUB (SAF) VAR (USA)

2nd ABLE FRIEND (AUS) SHAMARDAL (USA)

3rd DAN EXCEL (IRE) SHAMARDAL (USA)

4th GLORIOUS DAYS (AUS) HUSSONET (USA)

2014


1st DAN EXCEL (IRE) SHAMARDAL (USA)

2nd HELENE SPIRIT (IRE) FOOTSTEPINTHESAND (GB)

3rd PACKING WHIZ (IRE) TRADE FAIR (GB)

4th GLORIOUS DAYS (AUS) HUSSONET (USA)

2013


1st XTENSION (IRE) XAAR (GB)

2nd GLORIOUS DAYS (AUS) HUSSONET (USA)

3rd LUCKY NINE (IRE) DUBAWI (IRE)

4th AMBITIOUS DRAGON (NZ) PINS (AUS)

2012


1st ABLE ONE (NZ) CAPE CROSS (IRE)

2nd FELLOWSHIP (NZ) O'REILLY (NZ)

3rd BEAUTY FLASH (NZ) GOLAN (IRE)

4th SIGHT WINNER (NZ) FALTAAT (USA)

2010


1st SIGHT WINNER (NZ) FALTAAT (USA)

2nd EGYPTIAN RA (NZ) WOODBOROUGH (USA)

3rd DAO DAO (AUS) SHINKO FOREST (IRE)

4th GOOD BA BA (USA) LEAR FAN (USA)

2009


1st GOOD BA BA (USA) LEAR FAN (USA)

2nd ARMADA (NZ) TOWKAY (AUS)

3rd BULLISH LUCK (USA) ROYAL ACADEMY (USA)

4th JOYFUL WINNER (AUS) EL MOXIE (USA)

2008


1st ABLE ONE (NZ) CAPE CROSS (IRE)

2nd JOYFUL WINNER (AUS) EL MOXIE (USA)

3rd THE DUKE (AUS) DANEHILL (USA)

4th FLORAL PEGASUS (AUS) FUSAICHI PEGASUS (USA)

2007


1st XTENSION (IRE) XAAR (GB)

2nd LUCKY NINE (IRE) DUBAWI (IRE)

3rd MUSIR (AUS) REDOUTE'S CHOICE (AUS)

4th BEAUTY FLASH (NZ) GOLAN (IRE)

2011


1st BULLISH LUCK (USA) ROYAL ACADEMY (USA)

2nd DANACOURT (NZ) DANASINGA (AUS)

3rd JOYFUL WINNER (AUS) EL MOXIE (USA)

4th RUSSIAN PEARL (NZ) SOVIET STAR (USA)

2006

11

FIRST FOUR WITH SIRE (Since 2001) (cont.)


1st BULLISH LUCK (USA) ROYAL ACADEMY (USA)

2nd SILENT WITNESS (AUS) EL MOXIE (USA)

3rd AIN'T HERE (AUS) DEHERE (USA)

4th BOWMAN'S CROSSING (IRE) DOLPHIN STREET (FR)

2005


1st FIGURES (NZ) MAROOF (USA)

2nd SUPER KID (NZ) GAIUS (IRE)

3rd STAY YOUNG (IRE) PRINCELY HEIR (IRE)

4th BLUE STITCH (GB) SELKIRK (USA)

2004


1st ELECTRONIC UNICORN(USA) HOUSEBUSTER (USA)

2nd MERIDIAN STAR (AUS) DOLPHIN STREET (FR)

3rd RED SUN (ARG) EQUALIZE (USA)

4th HO CHOI (GB) PIVOTAL (GB)

2003


1st JEUNE KING PRAWN (AUS) DANEHILL (USA)

2nd RED PEPPER (GB) CADEAUX GENEREUX (GB)

3rd MERIDIAN STAR (AUS) DOLPHIN STREET (FR)

4th RED SUN (ARG) EQUALIZE (USA)

2002


1st RED PEPPER (GB) CADEAUX GENEREUX (GB)

2nd MAN OF HONOUR (IRE) MARJU (IRE)

3rd RED SUN (ARG) EQUALIZE (USA)

4th CHARMING CITY (AUS) CHIEF'S CROWN (USA)

2001

12

WINNING TRAINERS (Since 2001)

Allan, Ivan (1)

JEUNE KING PRAWN 2002

RECORD TRAINER

6 John Moore

2 Tony Cruz

2 John Size

All-time Leading Trainers

Cruz, Tony (2)

BULLISH LUCK 2006

BULLISH LUCK 2005

De Kock, Mike (1)

VARIETY CLUB 2014

Kan, Brian (1)

RED PEPPER 2001

Moore, John (6)

ABLE FRIEND 2015

DAN EXCEL 2013

XTENSION 2012

XTENSION 2011

ABLE ONE 2010

ABLE ONE 2007

Oughton, David (1)

FIGURES 2004

Schutz, Andreas (1)

GOOD BA BA 2008

Size, John (2)

SIGHT WINNER 2009

ELECTRONIC UNICORN 2003

13

WINNING JOCKEYS (Since 2001)

Beadman, Darren (2)

XTENSION 2011

ABLE ONE 2010

RECORD TRAINER

2 Darren Beadman

2 Weichong Marwing

2 Brett Prebble

All-time Leading Jockeys

Doleuze, Olivier (1)

GOOD BA BA 2008

Fradd, Robbie (1)

ELECTRONIC UNICORN 2003

Marcus, Anton (1)

VARIETY CLUB 2014

Marwing, Weichong (2)

DAN EXCEL 2013

JEUNE KING PRAWN 2002

Kinane, Mick (1)

ABLE ONE 2007

Legrix, Eric (1)

RED PEPPER 2001

McDonald, James (1)

XTENSION 2012

Moreira, Joao (1)

ABLE FRIEND 2015

Mosse, Gerald (1)

BULLISH LUCK 2005

Mundry, Torsten (1)

FIGURES 2004

Prebble, Brett (2)

SIGHT WINNER 2009

BULLISH LUCK 2006

Documents

CONTENTScampaign.hkjc.com/en/2016-champions-mile/champions-mile-media... · 01 Contents & Media Contacts MEDIA CONTACTS ... 2005 10 814 19,509 2004 10 877 30,633 ... DAO DAO (3rd)