Hong Kong racing fans develop deep affection for their star runners and closely follow the fortunes of their favorites. That love will be on full display in the Dec. 11 Longines Hong Kong Mile (HK-I) as Able Friend tries to overcome a frustrating series of misfortunes to return to glory.
 
The Shamardal gelding won the Mile in 2014 and was named Hong Kong Horse of the year at the end of that campaign. But after finishing third in last year’s Mile, he suffered a serious tendon injury that could have ended his career.
 
Instead, his sporting owners, Dr. and Mrs. Cornel Li Fook Kwan, and trainer John Moore gave Able Friend plenty of time to recuperate and return to full strength. Then, just as the horse was about to return to training, he suffered another injury—a stable accident that left him with soreness and required yet more R&R.
 
The upshot is that Able Friend, at age 7, comes to this event one race short in his training. His only start in the past 11 months was a promising fourth-place showing in the BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Sprint (HK-II) on Nov. 20—the local prep for the Mile.
 
Moore enjoyed watching Able Friend Thursday morning in his final work before the Mile. Able Friend, with race-day rider Joao “Magic Man” Moreira up, spotted stablemate Mr. Bogart a one-length lead heading into the stretch and went by that one to finish well in front, posting quick and consistent fractions.
 
But that wasn’t enough to fill the trainer with hope, especially after he stepped to the podium at the barrier draw later in the day and picked gate 14, widest of all.
 
“Able Friend’s draw is a grave concern for the simple reason that he’s going into the race not 100 percent fit,” Moore said. “I was hoping for a middle gate and that he could get some nice cover. From gate 14 he’s going to come back to the rear of the field and his task is going to be set with respect to getting home in a very slick sectional time. His fitness is suspect. I’m worried.”
 
Moreira, at Friday’s media briefing, was more upbeat.
 
Asked if Able Friend can overcome all the adversity and the effects of old age to win again, he said with a quick smile, “”I think he’s going to prove that to you on Sunday.”
 
“He’s fully recovered from his problems. The feeling that he gives me recently on his trackwork was great,” Moreira continued. “Action-wise, I couldn’t feel anything wrong with the horse … I think John Moore has done the best that he could with the horse. Even if he’s not fully polished, I think he’s still capable to win based on his quality and his ability.”
 
The draw, he agreed, is a concern.
 
“Unfortunately, we got that draw and we’re going to have to play with it,” he said, adding it’s not useful to be wedded to a specific plan “because you might try to do one specific thing and some other horse also try to do that too and you still get stuck wide.”
 
Moreira said he will talk to Moore “and discuss where we are going to place him and then I will definitely ask him to try to give us Plan B, C and even D.”
 
On the plus side, the rest of the field arguably is not as imposing as in recent years. With the exception of Ireland’s Cougar Mountain, the field is exclusively Japanese and Hong Kong runners. Last year’s winner, Maurice, has moved along to the 2,000-meters Longines Hong Kong Cup (HK-I) and prospective American starters Tepin and Miss Temple Cityopted not to make the trans-Pacific trip.
 
Part of the fan appreciation syndrome is stuffed toy horses, made to look vaguely like the actual runners and sold at the Sha Tin and Happy Valley racecourse gift shops. Able Friend toys have been popular for years and may see a pre-Christmas run if their namesake can perform on Sunday.