Able One upsets Chairman's Trophy

Able One sprung an 11.70-1 surprise over a high-class field in the Chairman's Trophy at Sha Tin on Sunday as he defeated four Group 1 winners in the Group 2, $386,000 mile. Well placed in third by Darren Beadman, the 7-year-old Able One led just inside the quarter pole in defeating Mr Medici by a neck with Viva Pataca two lengths farther back in third. Last year's Group 1 Champion's Mile winner Sight Winner was sixth, while Hong Kong Gold Cup winner Collection came home eighth, probably finding the mile well short of his preferred distance of 1 1/4 miles.

A New Zealand-bred son of Cape Cross trained by John Moore, Able One was winning for the first time since having taken the one-mile Group 3 Premier Cup Handicap on June 15. He earned Group 1 laurels when winning the Champion's Mile in 2007. That is the $1.5 million race at which he will be aimed for now on April 25, the day when Viva Pataca and Collection will both step back up to 10 furlongs for the $1.8 million Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.