Hong Kong HOTY Designs On Rome Retired

Designs On Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}–Summer Trysting, by Alleged), the Horse of the Year in Hong Kong in 2014 and twice the region's champion middle-distance horse, has been retired from racing, according to information on the Hong Kong Jockey Club website.

Bred by the Haefner family's Moyglare Stud, Designs On Rome was initially led out unsold at the 2011 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, but was purchased privately by trainer Pat Flynn for a mere €10,500. Racing for the trainer's wife, he was a maiden winner at third asking and was sold to Hong Kong following a distant runner-up effort to Dawn Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) in the 2012 G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. The SackvilleDonald agency facilitated the sale.

Designs On Rome was successful in two of his first four starts for trainer John Moore and headed into the 2014 Classic season as one of the chief protagonists. Beaten a half-length by his stablemate, the recently retired Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal), in the Hong Kong Classic Mile, the bay turned the tables on the future superstar as the distances increased in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) (video) and in an epic renewal of the Hong Kong Derby (2000m) (video), ridden to tactical perfection each time by Australian jockey Tommy Berry. He cemented his status as one of the world's top gallopers over intermediate trips with a victory in the G1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup (video), defeating, among others, Epiphaneia (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S.), winner of the G1 Japan Cup later that season; and top South African Vercingetorix (SAf) (Silvano {Ger}).

Designs On Rome completed a calendar year for the ages with a narrow success in the 2014 G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (video), maintained his near-flawless record over the metric mile and a quarter in the 2015 G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup (video) and followed with a deceptively strong effort in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic. Trying 12 furlongs for just the second time in his career, he dropped well back, but rallied strongly off no pace whatsoever to finish fourth, just over four lengths behind the likes of Dolniya (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}) and Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}).

With Berry back in the saddle for the first time in 11 races, Designs On Rome successfully defended his title in the 2016 Hong Kong Gold Cup (video) and had one final trick up his sleeve last October when leading home an old-timers' quinella in the G2 Sha Tin Trophy H. (1600m) (video) that returned better than 300-1. Drawing on the tenacity that became his trademark, Designs On Rome took off around the field fully 800m from home and willed himself to the line for a neck defeat of Blazing Speed (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), whose retirement was also announced this week.

Having helped establish Holy Roman Emperor as a perennial leading sire in Hong Kong via his exploits, Designs On Rome retires with a record of 37-11-4-3, including eight wins in black-type races, and earnings of better than HK$63 million (US$8,016,091).