"Now I'm convinced that he's the best horse in town," the champion jockey said after guiding the Street Boss (USA) gelding to a fourth straight win.
"Obviously, that number one spot was open and there to be taken, and he looked like he was going to be the one."
John Moore's latest stable star swept aside his peers in last month's BMW Hong
Kong Derby (2000m) to become the first horse to complete a sweep of Hong Kong's
three-race Four-Year-Old Classic Series. Back in trip, the ascendant chestnut
impressed against his proven elders with a smart prep for the Group I Champions
Mile in four weeks' time."He went through the race beautifully," Moreira said. "He had lovely cover and I just pulled him out a little bit early because I knew there would be some early moves and I wanted to make sure I gave him a clear run. When I put him into daylight he finished off so strongly – he was really letting down powerfully."
The 1.6 favourite settled handily behind the pace-setting Contentment, one of six G1 winners in the 10-runner field. When that rival succumbed to pressure 350m out, it was Rapper Dragon that sailed into the clear. The victor wandered around under Moreira's drive but had the strong-closing Beauty Only's measure in clocking 1m 33.74s for a half-length success.
"He was always going to hold the second," Moreira said. "Unfortunately, I had him snaking around underneath me in the straight – he's still very immature. I think there's more improvement to come and now it's up to Mr. Moore to help him go to that extra level that I believe is there to go for."
Moore is certain that he has left something to work on ahead of the 7 May Champions Mile.
"There's further improvement, I think I can get him a little bit fitter," the trainer said. "I didn't have him 100 percent today because I didn't really put him to the grind for this and that was intentional."
Bred by the late Henry Cojuangco at Gooree Stud, Rapper Dragon joined the John Moore stable after beginning his career with Gai Waterhouse.
Rapper Dragon showed good ability in a five start juvenile campaign for Waterhouse that yielded a win at Wyong and seconds in the Group I ATC Champagne Stakes to Pasadena Girl and Group III ATC Schweppervescence Quality to Takedown.
Rapper Dragon has the overall record of nine wins and three placings from 17 starts.
A half-brother to stakes-placed Swing Vote, he is the best of three winners from Danehill Dancer (IRE) mare Swing Dance, a sibling to Group I winner Amanpour and stakes-winners Turf Express and Sports Edition.
Swing Dance was sold in the dispersal of Henry Cojuangco's stock at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale when bought by Michael Wallace Bloodstock for $360,000.
She is now at Newgate Farm, who sold her current yearling, a colt by Congrats (USA) at Magic Millions for $110,000 to KS Research.
Swing Dance produced a colt by Deep Field last spring and is now in foal to Rapper Dragon's Darley based sire Street Boss.
