Ryan Moore completed a double at Sha Tin after claiming the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile aboard Japanese challenger Maurice.
Ryan Moore completed a double at Sha Tin after claiming the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile aboard Japanese challenger Maurice.
John Moore's Hong Kong superstar Able Friend was unsurprisingly all the rage to claim yet another victory at his home track and looked in with every chance of doing so after being angled wide to challenge in the straight by Joao Moreira.
However, Maurice, always travelling well for Moore, was able to match Able Friend's change of gear in the closing stages and finished best to secure Group One glory.
Last year's winner Able Friend was narrowly beaten to the runner-up spot by Giant Treasure, with Andre Fabre's mare Esoterique passing the post fourth.
The two British-trained challengers in the field were Richard Hannon's Toormore and the David O'Meara-trained Mondialiste, but neither could make an impact.
Hannon said: "He was a little bit keen early on and he's had a long season.
"You must remember that the winner and the third are very good horses, but my horse hasn't been disgraced and ran a solid enough race."
Mondialiste's jockey, Daniel Tudhope, said: " He's had a long year and he was hanging on the ground.
"It was just a bridge too far for him."