John Moore has lived and breathed Hong Kong racing for more than half his life. He’s been there, seen and done it all in the former British colony since the 1970s where he started out as an amateur jockey before taking over the racing stables of his late father, the legendary George Moore, in 1985.
Since joining the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s exclusive training ranks 34 years ago, John has established himself as one of the region’s most powerful and colourful characters.
Along the journey in the Orient, he’s collected seven trainer titles and produced many top racehorses that have gone on to be Hong Kong’s greatest of all time including the likes of Viva Pataca (GB) (Marju {Ire}), Collection (Ire) (Peintre Celebre {USA}) and Able Friend (Shamardal {USA}).
The 1670 winners he’s trained to date have amassed an incredible total of more than $HK1.9 Billion in prizemoney (approximately AUD$346,000,000).
Currently, the 69-year-old horseman is enjoying one of his most successful seasons ever with a winning strike rate of 14%, and, with only five meetings to go, trails his countryman John Size for the lead in the premiership by just five wins.
Trainer John Moore
The top of his game
Essentially, John is at the top of his game right now. But, the HKJC’s compulsory retirement age for trainers once they reach 70, means that he has just one more season to go before he has to stop doing what he does best.
“I don’t want to retire, I would like to continue in the same vein that I am in now, and doing a lot for not only the stable and owners but also Hong Kong itself,” said John.
“I don’t want to retire, I would like to continue in the same vein that I am in now." - John Moore
Originally, the compulsory retirement age for trainers in Hong Kong was 65 but John successfully championed for a review by the licensing committee that saw it overturned. That decision proved fortunate for Hong Kong’s current leading trainer, John Size, who turns 65 this month.
65 year old John Size is the current leading trainer in Hong Kong
“The Jockey Club changed the rule when I hit 65 and I was leading trainer in Hong Kong at the time. They call it the John Moore rule. The press made it up and I said if you want to call it that then why not,” he laughed.
Jokes aside, there’s every chance that the retirement rule will be reviewed yet again.
“I’m hoping at end of next season that the HKJC may give consideration to an extension. That’s all very much up in the air and all to do with the CEO and Licensing Committee to make those decisions but I feel young enough to continue and I have got the horse flesh in the stable.”
Latest stable star
His Sha Tin stable is bursting at the barn doors with talent and the latest star is the reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year, Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock), a horse that created history this season winning nine races in succession - all at Group level.
Beauty Generation has won the past two editions of the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) and one of his most notable achievements on the track was the sheer brilliance he showed last start when he won the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) in April for the second year in a row.
Beauty Generation
“Wow, getting your hands on something like this and knowing that he hasn't bottomed yet, and that there’s still plenty to come, is amazing.
“He’s tough as the goat’s knees and kept form from his first run where he was underdone and kept beating good horses.”
“He’s tough as the goat’s knees and kept form from his first run where he was underdone and kept beating good horses.” - John Moore
Beauty Generation formerly raced as Montaigne when he was originally trained in Australia by Anthony Cummings. He won a 3YO Maiden (1400m) and Benchmark 78 (1600m) in NSW before competitive efforts in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m), Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and Group 1 BMW (2400m).
“He’s quite a find. My son George sourced him and managed to negotiate a deal with Anthony Cummings and his owners. He did have form in some of the better races in Australia as a youngster. He wasn’t cheap but has proven to be a worthwhile addition to the stable.
Beauty Generation running at Randwick where he was known as Montaigne
“A lot of agents had him on the books but with the price they were asking a few would have shied away. The Sa Sa Group gave George the go-ahead to buy him so luck was in our camp that day.
“A lot of agents had him on the books but with the price they were asking a few would have shied away." - John Moore
“He’s doesn't have a blue blood pedigree, he’s a freak of nature,” he added.
Hong Kong’s leading jockey Zac Purton has had the privilege of partnering Beauty Generation in recent seasons and labels him as the best horse he’s ever ridden.
“I put him at the top for a number of reasons mainly because of the things he’s able to do that others can’t. He’s now the equal top-rated horse in the world and to be consistent like he is, places him right at the top for me.
“We have only just started to see the best of him. He was a late maturer and took time to acclimatise. He’s turned into a complete machine,” said Zac.
Imagining HK racing without John Moore
Beauty Generation has largely been responsible for helping to rekindle Zac’s relationship with John which has had its ups and downs over the years.
Zac Purton aboard Beauty Generation
“Our relationship hasn’t always been rosy. I rode for John when I first came to Hong Kong and then I didn't ride for him for a few seasons. It’s only been the last two seasons that we have rekindled our relationship and Beauty Generation has been a big part of that.
"It’s only been the last two seasons that we have rekindled our relationship and Beauty Generation has been a big part of that. " - Zac Purton
“Things have been going really, really well, he’s got a lot of nice horses in his yard at the moment that he’s going to have a lot of fun with next season. It’s sad from his perspective to have to see them go into other yards and do well after he leaves.”
Zac finds it difficult to imagine Hong Kong racing without John Moore.
“I have never known it without John Moore. It will be strange for me. He has been here right from infancy so nobody knows the inside of Hong Kong racing like John.
“He would no doubt be a loss to the Hong Kong Jockey Club with the knowledge and connections he has built over time. That can’t be replaced overnight. He’s got a lot of power in Hong Kong and will definitely be missed when he goes.”
There’s still one more season for John to let his horses do the talking and inspire a possible rethink by the HKJC Licensing Committee to extend the retirement age for trainers in the jurisdiction. He has a big ace up his sleeve by the name of Aethero (Sebring) that could play an integral part in convincing the powers that be to let him go on plying his trade for a bit longer yet.
Aethero, is a 2YO half-brother to 2019 Everest contender Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt), and is unbeaten in two Griffin races this year on the Hong Kong circuit.
The $575,000 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase faces his biggest test today when he races against the older horses in a Class 3 1200m race at Sha Tin.
John is confident he will answer the challenge and boldly predicts that Aethero could be one of the best sprinters he’s ever trained.
“He is a superstar in the making. He looks very much like his father. A 2YO running in open company is a big ask but he has the ability to keep the win rate going.
“He is a superstar in the making. He looks very much like his father." - John Moore
“In my opinion he will win quite well and it will be the start of good things.”
Aethero was a $575,000 Inglis Easter yearling purchase from the draft of Tyreel
With so much ahead for Aethero, John openly admits that he hopes the emergence of this young horse might help prolong his training career in Hong Kong.
“Rules are rules and compulsory retirement is on the horizon. I have been lucky to get the extra time, but hopefully, there might be a new rule come into practice and if Beauty Generation can continue on his winning ways with Aethero coming along to put Hong Kong onto the world stage then who knows.
“If you don’t dream a bit you will never succeed. I can take him all the way and make him one of the top sprinters in Hong Kong, that’s how much faith I’ve got in this horse. If I can nurture him the right way and keep him to sprinting he could be anything.
“It may help with the possibility of another extension having two world champions in the stable at the close of next season,” he said.
“It may help with the possibility of another extension having two world champions in the stable at the close of next season." - John Moore
Whilst compulsory retirement is fast looming that won’t distract John from continuing on his successful quest to feed Hong Kong’s hungry system with top-class racehorses. Those around him, including Zac Purton, know that only too well.
“He’s always going to be in that position with a lot of good owners. His attention to detail is second to none. It’s all those little one percenters that he does right. He sits in the trainers' stand and really analyses what they need. He can look at a horse and know exactly where it is in a preparation.
“Whether he retires at the end of next season or in another five years, he’s always going to be in this position,” said Zac.
