A special look at the top stories from thoroughbredracing.com. June/July 2020 NOW FOR THE JOHN MOORE STORY: PART 2 Also inside: It’s all change in downtown Saratoga / North America and the Epsom Derby: a link so important on both sides of the Atlantic / What They’re Thinking: Oisin Murphy /ThoroughbredRacingCommentary @TRCommentary Two of the most exciting young sires in the world. From Royal Ascot winners come Royal Ascot winners Frankly Darling | by Frankel Palace Pier | by Kingman Ribblesdale Stakes Gr.2, Royal Ascot St James’s Palace Stakes Gr.1, Royal Ascot Bred by Hascombe & Valiant Stud Ltd Bred by Highclere Stud And Floors Farming +44 (0)1638 731115 [email protected] ® www.juddmonte.com What’s top of John Moore’s bucket list as he bids farewell to ‘Disneyland’? JA McGrath | July 15, 2020 John Moore is packing up and leaving Hong Kong at the end of a spectacular career, in which he sent out 1,734 winners of prize money totalling US$270 million, making him the most successful trainer since racing turned professional there in 1971. John Moore: Stepping down after 35 years as a trainer in Hong Kong, having trained the winners of six Hong Kong Derbys and being responsible for eight Horses of the Year. Photo: HKJC But Moore, 70, is not retiring. Far from Moore is very attached to everything John Moore with his brother Gary and father it. The Australian-born son of the Hong Kong, which is perfectly George: After today, the Moore family name will not be represented in Hong Kong racing for the first legendary George Moore is looking understandable for one who has spent time in 49 years. Photo: South China Morning Post forward to joining forces with his his past 49 years in the former British brother, Gary, the 1981 Arc-winning rider colony that evolved into what is now of Gold River, as they prepare to take officially a Special Administrative out a joint licence to train at Rosehill in Region of China. He has been immersed Sydney’s western suburbs. in the local ways and culture for almost Moore, who is current world #12 in his entire adult life. John’s brother, Gary, became a the TRC Global Rankings, has been Moore, who took out a trainer’s multiple champion jockey in Hong Kong forced to step down after 35 years with licence in 1985, was seven times and champion in France, where he won a Hong Kong licence on reaching the champion. He trained the winners of six the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. His uncle compulsory retirement age as stipulated Hong Kong Derbys and was responsible was Garnet Bougoure, an Irish Derby- by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. for eight Horses of the Year. He sent out winning jockey, who rode and trained It is hard to imagine a race meeting 36 international G1 winners, including with great success in Singapore. at Sha Tin or Happy Valley without the major wins in Dubai and Singapore. Like most young Australians, John name Moore listed in some participating The John Moore story, and that was eager to see the world, and with capacity, but that becomes reality after of the Moore family, is part of the experience of riding on the amateur Sunny Boy, with Brazilian Vagner Borges foundations on which professional circuit in New South Wales in his aboard, contests the last race at Happy racing has been built, and it all late teens, he found himself lured to Valley today (Wednesday, July 15). He happened by chance. Bukit Timah racecourse in Singapore, is a 14/1 shot and Borges will need luck competing at a ‘Pro-Am’ meeting, to win from a wide gate 11 draw. Moore The early days coached by his uncle, who also might have to rely on one of his four John Moore was bred to play a major mentioned Hong Kong as a possible earlier runners for the last hurrah. role in international racing. His father, riding venue to investigate. “You know, it hasn’t really got me George, was one of the greatest John went on to be granted a riding yet,” Moore said on the eve of his final Australian jockeys of the 20th century, licence in Hong Kong and rode out the raceday as a Hong Kong trainer. “Yes, riding 2,278 winners in a career last months of the amateur era, and it will be very sad, but it’s not as if I am spanning more than three decades. when Happy Valley (the sole racecourse quitting racing totally. I will continue He was ten times champion jockey in in those days) went professional in 1971, training in Australia on a different front, Sydney and rode Royal Palace, trained he, too, turned pro. with Gary. I see it more as a change of by Noel Murless for owner Jim Joel, to It meant rubbing shoulders with the scenery.” win the 1967 Derby at Epsom. likes of Lester Piggott, Jimmy Lindley, TRC June/July 2020 / John Moore / It’s all change in downtown Saratoga / North America and the Epsom Derby: a link so important on both sides of the Atlantic / Oisin Murphy / P4 The John Moore story, and that of the Moore family, is part of the foundations on which professional racing has been built, and it all happened by chance. John Moore trained the prolific Viva Trainer’s licence The Moore touch with imports Pataca to win the Hong Kong Derby in The Royal Hong Kong Club made it The catalogue of John Moore’s success 2006 and be Horse of the Year three years later. Photo: HKJC clear to John Moore that he would not is spectacularly impressive. The total automatically be appointed assistant prize money earned is more than that of trainer to his father. With licences highly any other professional in Hong Kong’s valued and in short supply, there could short history, and this has been due be no accusation of nepotism. largely to Moore’s ability to source the “They let me be a ‘trainer’s assistant’, right horses, who would develop and Yves Saint-Martin and Joe Mercer in the the fine difference being that I did not thrive in a demanding and unusual winter months, as well as a core group enjoy the perks of assistant trainers, environment, and also to find the of five professionals from Australia and such as being paid by the Jockey Club, wealthy owners with pockets deep Britain who were based there. and I had to sign an agreement, basically enough to pay for them. Gary Moore dropped in to Hong guaranteeing I would be responsible for The rise and rise of prize money levels Kong — purportedly to replace a band myself,” John pointed out. in Hong Kong underpins his business on his Piaget watch! — and rode there “But it allowed me entry to the and has been instrumental in bringing in successfully for two months ..... and then stables and access to the horses, and much-sought bloodstock. George’s relations cooled with owner that is what mattered. No amounts are ever discussed Nelson Bunker Hunt, who had wanted “I had started my own business [away publicly, but informed sources say that him to train for him in France, and he, from the racecourse], selling insurance, Viva Pataca, winner of the 2006 Hong too, found his way to Hong Kong. while I was still riding. I had an office in Kong Derby, was bought by casino It transpired that the family started Central [the business district on Hong Kong tycoon Stanley Ho for £1 million (British the 1972-73 season with George as island], and after riding trackwork at Happy pounds), which was colossal money in trainer, Gary as first jockey, and John Valley in the mornings, I would shower, that (tried horses) market at that time. as work rider, and their impact on Hong change into a suit, and head to the office. He raced under the name Comic Strip Kong racing was to last several decades. “I made enough from the business to when trained by Sir Mark Prescott in George Moore’s reputation keep me going, and riding Dad’s horses the UK. internationally gave fledgling Hong every morning gave me the opportunity These days, that amount is Kong credibility at a crucial time to get a feel of the best of them and to commonplace, particularly for a in its development. It was not the have a punt,” he recalled. suitable prospect for the Hong Kong sophisticated, much-admired As George Moore was champion in Derby, which is for 4-year-olds and is racing capital it is today. Moore’s 11 of the 13 seasons he trained in Hong traditionally run in March. professionalism raised the bar Kong, his son presumably backed his Beauty Generation, who had been dramatically. share of winners. Guineas-placed in Sydney when trained TRC June/July 2020 / John Moore / It’s all change in downtown Saratoga / North America and the Epsom Derby: a link so important on both sides of the Atlantic / Oisin Murphy / P5 by Anthony Cummings, was rumoured Future days in Sydney Beauty Generation, who has been winning Hong Kong G1s for the last four seasons, is to have been sold for around AU$2.5 The partnership with brother Gary will the territory’s all-time leading money earner. million. He has broken all prize money call on many Hong Kong owners and Photo: HKJC records and will be trained next contacts to buy horses to be trained out season [which starts in September] of the Sydney stable.