Dubai: Brazilian jockey Joao Moreira delivered a masterclass aboard Hong Kong raider Amber Sky to win a super-hot renewal of the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint, sponsored by Ipic, on Saturday.
The jockey, who has stockpiled three Group 1 wins at Sha Tin this season, rode a confident race aboard the 7-2 second favourite to score by a quarter length from Godolphin’s fast-improving Ahtough and South Africa’s Shea Shea, who was looking for back-to-back wins in the fine contest run on a straight turf course.
Eleven of the 12 runners finished in a rush, with less than three lengths separating them at the line.
“Well that’s what good horses do for the jockeys. Good horses make the jockey’s life that much easier and he’s one of them,” said Moreira. “He’s amazing. He did so well to put himself right out in front. And once I gave him a push, he just gave me a strong kick back and made it too hard for the other horses.
“He’s been such a great champion. He is so easy to ride. It was a great opportunity for him to prove himself and he did so with such style. I think I gave him a good ride and he just went on to prove himself on the world stage.
“Personally, the feeling for me could not have been any better.”
Ricky Yiu, who has built a reputation for himself as a trainer with a special skill with sprinters said: “After I saw him land here, he was so relaxed after a day or two, his attitude on the track was so relaxed. [It was the] main factor that gave him this performance today.
“This is the right race for him. He can adapt, he can cope with the environment, he can do anything. It’s surreal. I’m very, very happy.
“We will sit down with the owner and jockey to discuss Royal Ascot.”
Amber Sky’s owner Samo Hung Kam Po was equally ecstatic and said: “I think this is a good horse but everything was just a hope. This is amazing, I’m so excited and so happy.
“That was a stunning run from him. He’s such a powerful horse and he fought well. I thought he would get tired but he just went all the way.
“I can’t compare him to any other horse. I think at the moment he looks good enough for the 1,000 metres straight. Royal Ascot?
“Yes surely we are going to the UK, but first we will have to sit and chat with the owners. The Longines Hong Kong Sprint will be the next big one for him.”
A case could be made for Shea Shea’s defeat, as he was last of 12 at the 400m mark, and even though he gave his all for Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon, it always looked a lost cause. Amber Sky and Ahtough were simply bolting to the line and never looked like conceding ground.
While Soumillion revealed that the horse likes a bit of cover and a rail to race against, it was not the case to be as he drifted out from the synthetic barrier and had to make his run from around a wall of horses.
