Rivalry Renewed in Hong Kong Gold Cup

Reigning Horse of the Year Designs on Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Military Attack (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}), who carried that title in the previous season, square off again in Sunday’s Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup, elevated to international Group 1 status for the first time. 

Designs on Rome has slowly worked his way into peak fitness for trainer John Moore and earned his second win at the highest level two starts back, defeating Military Attack in the final jump of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup over this course and distance Dec. 14. The duo was supposed to line up together in the 1800-meter Centenary Vase H. Feb. 7, but Military Attack was forced to miss the race after a period of what trainer Caspar Fownes labeled ‘inappetence’ and weight loss. That left Designs on Rome as the starting highweight on 131 pounds and he drifted late in the wagering to be off as ‘only’ the 6-5 favorite. He left it until very late, but Joao Moreira coaxed one final late lunge out of the 5-year-old and scored by a short head. Designs on Rome is prepping here for the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic Mar. 28. 

Military Attack arrived on the international scene really and truly beginning with this event in 2013 and he successfully defended his title last term. He missed by a head to Blazing Speed (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) in the G2 Jockey Club Cup Nov. 23 ahead of his Hong Kong Cup near-miss, and is ready to use this as a steppingstone to the G1 Dubai Turf in a little less than four weeks. The 7-year-old gets blinkers for the first time this afternoon. 

“He’ll have the blinkers on to help him concentrate a bit more,” explained Fownes. “You can see in a couple of his races, the last part, he just shies away from the winning post and runs out a little bit and that has cost him. Hopefully, with the blinkers on, he’ll just run through to the line strongly. If he can do that, well he’s already racing very well this season so if he can stay where he’s at he will be very competitive.”

Overnight Odds (courtesy HKJC): Designs on Rome, 2-5; Military Attack, 4-1; Blazing Speed, 8-1; Helene Super Star, 10-1; Khaya, 14-1; Endowing, Harbour Master, 15-1; California Memory, 18-1.