Designs On Rome put down an early marker for the 2015 Dubai World Cup with a battling performance in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin in Hong Kong on Sunday.
Local trainer John Moore saddled the first two home in the international Group 1 event, as Designs on Rome outpointed Dubai World Cup 10th Military Attack by a neck.
Mike De Kock’s Vercingetorix was just over two lengths back in third, while stablemate Sanshaawes was outclassed in ninth of the ten runners, one place behind Dubai Sheema Classic fifth Dominant, who was also trained by Moore.
Designs On Rome was only the third horse to tack on the QEII Cup to a win in the Hong Kong Derby, and is an intended runner in the Group 1 Champions & Chater Cup over 2,400 metres next month.
After that his campaign reportedly will be geared towards Dubai next year.
For Tommy Berry, the jockey of Design On Rome, it was his second consecutive victory in the $HK14 million (Dh6.63m) contest after he scored on Military Attack 12 months ago.
“There was a little bit of a scare when Military Attack got up on the inside but you always know I’ve got a little bit more left in the tank when I haven’t pulled the stick through to the right hand because he finds a little bit more when I do,” Berry said. “He loves a dogfight this horse. I’ll be surprised the day he gets beat because he never gives up.”
Military Attack and Vercingetorix could well meet next month in the International Cup at Kranji Racecourse in Singapore.
De Kock was at the sales in South Africa and had no complaints at Vercingetorix’s second career defeat.
“It wasn’t the clearest run and he got baulked at a crucial stage,” he said by phone. “It was a good performance, however, but the winner looks very smart.”
Anthony Delpech was on board Vercingetorix due to Christophe Soumillon being required to ride Cirrus Des Aigles in the Prix Ganay in Paris, and the South African jockey restrained his mount in midfield on the rail behind the pace-setting Same World, another of Moore’s four runners.
Sanshaawes was placed in third by Olivier Doleuze, and had taken second spot by halfway of the 2,000-metre race when Designs On Rome was still third from last.
Berry bided his time and 700 metres from the line he galvanised his mount but the pair had to race four wide around the final turn, where Vercingetorix was short of room. It allowed Military Attack the opportunity to skip up the rail under Joao Moreira and with 200 metres to go it appeared a repeat of last year’s triumph was likely.
Designs On Rome then loomed up alongside his stablemate and as the two horses pulled clear of Vercingetorix, Designs On Rome broke his rival just before the line.
“It looked like he was held up but really he had his chance,” Delpech told the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “I’m not sure he quite gets the ten furlongs in this class. He had his opportunity to get to them in the straight. I think he ran as well as he could have.”
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
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Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Indoor cricket World Cup:
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Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
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Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
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