Singapore Sling second in Hong Kong Derby

– Chad Schofield, rider of South African-bred Singapore Sling, thought he had the Grade 1 BMW Hong Kong Derby over 2000m in the bag until Ryan Moore swept past him on Ping Hai Star to give the British jockey his first win in this race at Sha Tin Racecourse yesterday.

“He’s a very talented horse, I had great fun riding him today,” Moore said after the New Zealandbred

Hong Kong

had quickened a 1.75-lengths clear of Singapore Sling in the HK$18 million classic.

The exciting bay clocked 2min 01.18sec, the fastest time in 19 runnings since the four-year-old feature was upped to 2000m.

After anchoring at the tail of the 14-runner field, 11 lengths astern of the pace-setting The Golden Age, Ping Hai Star blitzed through the final 800m.

“It wasn’t really the plan, to be that far back, at all,” Moore revealed.

“I just felt I’d ride him with lots of confidence – I believed before the race that he was the one horse that could have more class than anything else in the race and I think that showed."

“The last time he raced, I saw something that I liked about him as far as a Derby prospect was concerned,” Size said. The only gamble was whether he was fit enough and had the stamina to run 2000m with his inexperience.

It was a third win in the race for trainer John Size, with Ping Hai Star following Fay Fay (2012) and Luger (2015). Singapore Sling won the 2016 Grade 2 Dingaans, and was trained by Geoff Woodruff. –