The John Moore trained Booming Delight was ridden by young Australian jockey
Sam Clipperton, who settled the four year-old gelding near the tail of the
field before unleashing a powerful finish.Booming Delight surged to the line to win the 1600 metre contest by the best part of a length over Eastern Express.
"I'm thrilled," Clipperton said, "and to do it for John Moore and on this horse, Booming Delight, too, he has been my favourite horse since he started racing here. I do all of his trackwork, I've ridden him in most of his starts, I got down to 116 pounds to ride today. It's a relief, but it's also a thrill. That's been the whole season, just amazing."
It was the first stakes win for Booming Delight, who has won six of 13 starts.
Booming Delight was not initially among entries for the Lion Rock Trophy, with his next run originally scheduled for 25 June's G3 Premier Plate (1800m).
"I'm glad we ran him now, obviously," Moore said. "I just didn't want to upset the preparation we had already planned, but the owner was happy to change and it has paid off for him. He's always looked one of our better four-year-olds and it is great to see him join the list of Group winners."
Now, Moore says the Premier Plate is just one option for the Fastnet Rock gelding before the end of the term.
"We still have the 1800m up our sleeve but we can also look at the Sha Tin Mile Trophy on the last day of the season," Moore said of the Class 1 feature on 16 July.
"I think he will definitely make a December horse, probably a Hong Kong Mile type, I don't think he needs to stretch out to 2000m again. I just need to keep him sound because he's a big Fastnet Rock, he can find the tracks a bit firm so we'll just keep him ticking over."
Booming Delight is a full brother to Group I Doncaster Racing Post Trophy winner Rivet and three-quarter brother to Group III winner Alexander Pope.
He is one of six winners from Galileo mare Starship, a half-sister to Group II winning sprinter Superstar Leo and to the dam of Australian Group I winner December Draw.
