A grand looking horse with a giant stride, Japanese superstar Maurice bows out of racing a 6-time Group 1 winner after blowing away a top-class field in Sunday's Group 1 The Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin.
Ridden by Ryan Moore for trainer Noriyuki Hori, Maurice missed the start and had only a couple of runners behind him as A Shin Hikari set a blazing pace.
Moore elected to save ground by sticking to the rails and Maurice did the rest.
So quick did he finish, the 5yo son of Screen Hero had the finish all to himself, with Moore throttling him down to win by three lengths.
Choisir's son Secret Weapon (GB) denied the Japanese a clean sweep as he edged out
He becomes the fourth winner of the HK Cup following Midnight Bet in 1998, Agnes Digital in 2001, and A Shin Hikari last year.
In three trips to Hong Kong, Maurice never tasted defeat,with previous wins in the Hong Kong Mile and the Group I Champions Mile at Sha Tin.
Bred by Togawa Bokujo, the reigning Horse Of The Year is now off to stud with a record of 11 wins, 2 seconds and 1 third from 18 starts.
The 5yo entire is a son of the 2008 Group 1 Japan Cup winner Screen Hero, himself a son of 4-time Group 1 winner Grass Wonder (USA) (Silver Hawk), who shuttled to Victoria for four seasons.
Maurice is out Mejiro Frances a daughter of Darley Stud's pensioned Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Carnegie.
His second dam Mejiro Monterey (Mogami) won four races in Japan including the Group II Copa Republica Argentina.
