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John Moore says star miler Able Friend's absence from trackwork last week was "purely precautionary" and even though the five-year-old will miss the Celebration Cup in just less than two weeks, the big money trainer says his horse is still on track for his major target in December.
Moore revealed Able Friend, who won four from eight last season and was second to Variety Club last start in May's Champions Mile as a four-year-old, had "wrenched a left hock" when working on a slippery all-weather track nine days ago.
The big chestnut pulled up sore, and Moore ordered scans and a full veterinary inspection to ensure one of his prized assets had not done serious damage, delaying one of this season's most anticipated returns.
"We needed to investigate and we had all of the vets look over him, but it isn't serious," Moore said on Sunday. "He will miss that first-up race we had planned for him over 1,400m on October 5, though, just to give us time to bring him back to where we want him, fitness-wise. We've done x-rays, scans and checked him all over and there's no serious problems. It has been tricky with some of these wet conditions we've been having."
Able Friend will now likely take on some of the best sprinters in town in the Group Two Premier Bowl over 1,200m on October 26, the same day many highly rated milers will contest the Group Two Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy.
"Even though he is a miler, and the Hong Kong Mile is still his major target, and he has gone 2,000m - he will still be very dangerous over the shorter trip," he said. "In my experience, good horses can be competitive over any distance."
