Master Power shows who's the boss in wet conditions…

Source: ALAN AITKEN, South China Morning Post – 29/7/08

Master Power took 13 months to find the same conditions as in his first Hong Kong win, but he made the most of the opportunity to take the Hoi Ha Handicap (1,200m) yesterday - thanks to his owner Chow Kay-yui.

The John Moore-trained gelding's previous victory was at the end of May last year when he ploughed through yielding to soft ground to win for Douglas Whyte, but it was Darren Beadman who gained the benefit of the wet weather when Master Power struck similar circumstances this time.

"Well, Mr Chow has to take the credit for this one because he put the horse in the entries for the race. He told me he had looked at the weather forecast and knew it was going to be very heavy rain today so he put Master Power in," Moore said.

"At that stage, One World was going to be my runner in it but the blacksmith cut him a bit close and he couldn't run. So Master Power became my stable runner and Darren went on to him as the stable jockey after I had originally asked Eric Saint-Martin to stand by for him as a reserve.

"There were a few twists and turns to the story but here he is, a winner again."

Beadman laughed off any difficulty with visibility in the straight as the rain tumbled down and he weaved between runners on Master Power before finishing over the top of Double Luck.

"I just said to the horse, `Son, I've carried you for the last few starts, it's your turn to carry me today'." Moore said Master Power was a horse who was always going to have to wait for his chances to win because his knee problems didn't allow him to show his best.

"He's not the only horse with a knee problem or two but he certainly has them and it is only on days like this he gets his chance," he said. "It's unfortunate but racing here is basically firm tracks and horses like this won't stretch out most."

It was the highlight of an otherwise frustrating day for Moore, who only had five runners but saddled up three seconds.