KEY POINTS:
Hong Kong galloper Viva Pataca gave trainer John Moore and jockey Mick Kinane a clean sweep of the group one races at Sha Tin in Hong Kong yesterday with a stunning victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
The pair had earlier combined to take out the Champions Mile (1600m) with Able One, who left Australian colt Casino Prince in his wake. The Anthony Cummings-trained 3-year-old was posted three wide mid-race and tired in the run home.
The day belonged to Moore and Kinane. They both have connections to Australia. Moore is the son of legendary jockey and former trainer George, and Kinane won the 1993 Melbourne Cup on Vintage Crop.
While Able One led throughout, Viva Pataca settled midfield in the Cup before powering home to take out the 2000m feature from the New Zealand-bred Vengeance Of Rain.
Japanese star Admire Moon was third and the winner's stablemate and Sydney jockey Darren Beadman's mount Viva Macau finished out of the money.
Beadman didn't come away empty- handed, posting an early win aboard Horace's Choice, who began his career for John Hawkes in Australia, where he was named Arrested.
Now prepared in Hong Kong by Casper Fownes, Horace's Choice settled well back for Beadman, who brought him with a withering run down the outside to easily claim the Audemars Piguet Deva Hcp (1400m).
- AAP
