Racing
Bruce McLachlan at Eagle Farm on Saturday
Young trainer James Moore wants to carry on the famous dynasty started by his grandfather, the legendary George Moore and there’s no better place than in the $3 million Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast next month.
Gold Coast was home for many years for the late George Moore after his highly successful career as a jockey and trainer.
George Moore was Australia's greatest rider of his era before becoming a top trainer in Hong Kong.
His grandson, James, wanted to follow in his footsteps to become a jockey but instead took to basketball in England during his university days.
"I was too heavy to be a jockey and not tall enough to play semi-professional basketball in England," Moore said.
James Moore's father is former champion international jockey and trainer Gary Moore while his uncle John was a legendary trainer who finished his career with a record 1735 winners and seven premierships as a trainer in Hong Kong.
James took over his father's stables in Macau for five years and spent two years in Japan and a short time in Dubai before setting up base on Queensland's Sunshine Coast almost three years ago.
In Macau, he was the country's youngest trainer at 23 and won 70 races earning more than $HK19 million in prizemoney including his biggest win in the G1 Macau Guineas in 2016 with Kelowna Star.
James Moore is now based at Deagon on Brisbane's northern outskirts with a team of 13 horses.
One of those in the stable is Leaves Of Lorien who needs to win the Group 3 Bruce McLachlan Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday to be assured a start in the Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast on January 17.
A daughter of Cool Aza Beel, Leaves Of Lorien was a paltry $8,000 buy at the Magic Millions sales and has placed once in three starts.
"I tried to find a horse at the sales which would take me to the Magic Millions Classic," Moore said.
"She's out of a More Than Ready mare and the cross between her and her sire, Cool Aza Beel is pure gold.
Cool Aza Beel is the sire of the Chris and Corey Munce-trained Cool Archie who was named Queensland's two-year-old of the year last season following his Group 1 J J Atkins victory at Eagle Farm in June.
Moore rates Leaves Of Lorien, who races in George Moore's famous silk colours, as a strong chance in the Bruce McLachlan.
"Her half-brother Jumbo Gold won a few races for my uncle John and he could have been anything had he not had heart issues early in his career," Moore said.
Leaves Of Lorien - a Cody Collis mount - is coming off a last start fifth to the Chris and Corey Munce-trained Ziplock in a 1200-metre race at Doomben last month.
"She's a bomb proof filly like Jumbo Gold was but she had to sit three and four deep last start," Moore said.
"It was a nightmare watch.
"The Bruce McLachlan is a very strong race but she's definitely up to the grade and I rate her a very good chance."
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