HK FEB 2 - PURE CHAMPION STRIKES IN CENTENARY VASE

By Hong Kong Jockey Club | Saturday, February 2, 2013

Pure Champion went one better than twelve months ago with a decisive victory in the HKG3 Centenary Vase (Handicap) today.

Tony Cruz’s charge found Packing OK too tough to crack in last year’s renewal of the 1800m contest, but was at the top of his form on this occasion as he scorched clear of his 12 rivals to land the spoils under Gerald Mosse by a length and a quarter from Dan Excel, in a time of 1m 47.32s.

“Pure Champion has always been very consistent for me. He’s often been a little bit unlucky with the draw – one day when you go back he will have too much to do or if you go in front he will pull a little bit.

“Today he got a perfect race sitting behind the pace, and even with a bad draw I was lucky to get cover; he kicked very well then strode to the line,” said Mosse.

Pure Champion settled in the slipstream of his pace-setting stable mate Beauty Lead, with Dan Excel tucked tight to the rail on his inner, and when Derek Leung began to send out distress signals on the leader, Mosse pounced, unleashing a swift turn-of-foot to take the advantage 250m out.

The winner rolled into the path of the solid-closing Dan Excel as the winning post loomed but the result was already assured.

“He’s always hung a little bit, all his life. When I pressed hard he started to shift in,” said Mosse, who was completing a double on the day after victory on Leo’s Pride in the Class 4 On Muk Handicap.

The John Moore-trained Dan Excel filled the runner-up berth for the second race in succession after his good effort in last month’s HKG1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m), a race in which Pure Champion was four lengths 10th.

Beauty Lead held on for third, a further half-length back, while Helene Spirit put in a solid run in fourth.

The hard-luck stories of the race appeared to be Fay Fay and Military Attack as both horses closed strongly from the rear to claim fifth and sixth respectively.

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