Moore family makes them Listen

Moore family makes them Listen

If you thought Hong Kong Group winner Not Listenin’tome was named by a slightly frustrated parent, you’d be right.

George Moore, who bought him for $270,000 from Arrowfield’s draft at the 2012 Inglis Easter Sale, recalls, “My late mother actually named him. I can’t remember the exact situation, but one of us wasn’t listening to her, and she said ‘Not Listenin’tome.'”

He adds, “Not Listenin’tome was a stand out on type at the Easter Sale. In our minds he was a no-brainer, being out of a good producing mare in Flame Of Sydney, and a fluid mover with great drive behind.”

Bred by Michael Pitt & Mark Read, the son of Dylan Thomas has paid serious attention to the business of winning races since his successful debut at Bendigo three years ago. Team Hawkes initially trained Not Listenin’tome for George’s father, multiple champion Hong Kong trainer John Moore, and the result from six starts was three wins, notably the MRC Zeditave S. G3, and three placings, including a second in Zoustar’s VRC Coolmore Stud S. G1. 

After a winless Spring 4YO campaign, the bay gelding was sent in December 2014 to his owner’s Hong Kong stable and quickly made his mark, with a first-up Group placing and success in the Sha Tin Vase HK-3 at his third appearance.

Although he physically resembles his champion Derby-and-Arc-winning sire, Not Listenin’tome’s racing aptitude is obviously closer to that of  his dam who won three 1000-metre juvenile races, and  the 1400-metre VRC Desirable S. LR at three. His victory in last weekend’s Jockey Club Sprint 1200m G2 was his fourth Hong Kong Group success and took his career earnings to $2.4 million.

Not Listenin’tome goes into next month’s ~$3.2 million Longines Hong Kong Sprint G1 with an international rating of 118, one point below last year’s winner Peniaphobia, the 2014 winner Aerovelocity & Lucky Bubbles, who all finished behind him on Sunday.

However, jockey Hugh Bowman doesn’t under-estimate the task ahead of Not Listenin’tome, who was a fine third in last year’s International Sprint. He said, “I feel he will have to run a little bit better than he did today to win in three weeks, because… it will be a stronger race. But that being said, if I can have the same run as I did last year, it will be very welcome, because I think I have the better horse.”

John Moore’s long list of major victories includes the 2008 Hong Kong Sprint with Flying Spur’s son Inspiration, while Not Listenin’tome’s owner Matthew Wong also raced Horse of the Year Makarpura Star and the very good sprinter Sunny Sing.

The Moore stable will be represented in all four of this year’s Hong Kong International Races by Designs On Rome (Hong Kong Cup), 2015 Horse of the Year Able Friend, Helene Paragon & Joyful Trinity (Hong Kong Mile) and Helene Happy Star (Hong Kong Vase), as well as Not Listenin’tome in the Sprint.

George has played a key role in the family business for more than a decade and is regularly seen at Australian yearling sales where he purchased Inspiration, Able Friend, 2016 Queensland Derby G1 winner Eagle Way and Group winners Admiration, Dashing Fellow & Running Tall.

His recent buys include another Arrowfield graduate, this time a $300,000 colt by Starcraft from the Redoute’s Choice mare Salutations, sourced from the 2015 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale. Bought for Sebastian Man Shiu Wai, owner of this year’s Derby runner-up Victory Magic, he’s been named Victory Music. George reports, “He’s had two trials to date and is showing some nice ability at this stage.” 

Starcraft, currently second on the Hong Kong Sires’ list, has only two lots catalogued for the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Cast Sale, both of them offered by Arrowfield: a colt from Purring Flying and a filly out of Vortex. Arrowfield will offer Salutations’ colt by Animal Kingdom at the 2017 Inglis Easter Sale.