The script for this race was for Maurice to sit mid-field and just win. That’s pretty much exactly as it panned out, although he did sit forward of mid pack. Essentially this race was over after 100m, Moreira had him sitting 4th one off the rail.

As they turned Moreira eased Maurice out and he hit the front 200m from home to record a dominant win (2 lengths). “He was lucky to get such a good position in the race, which gave me plenty of options to put him out whenever I wanted,” said Moreira.

“He gave me so much confidence that he was going to get there any time that I was going to press the button. When I gave him the daylight he just started to get going by himself and showed what he is capable of. He’s a lovely horse and I think he can step up to a longer distance. I’m very blessed to have been given an opportunity to ride this horse today.”

Winning trainer Noriyuki Hori said “I’m extremely happy to have won the Hong Kong Mile at the international meeting in December and to come back and follow up in the Champions Mile today. It’s a pleasure to come here and I’m happy for the win, I’d like to thank Joao for giving the horse a great ride.”

Brett Prebble had a ‘good day’, runner up in both big races said “He’s run super, he’s been beaten by a machine. He could’ve gone another 400 metres, the winner.” An interesting comment indeed, will we see Maurice stretched in trip in the near future?

Packing Pins ran a great race for third and was another to confirm his promising form of the last twelve months. Jockey Gerald Mosse said “He’s a lovely horse – he has big potential. He was fighting to the line – I think the distance today was perfect. I swiAtched behind the first tow, he gave me a beautiful run and I’m very pleased.”

Watch the imperious Maurice here: