A powerful turn-of-foot and a patient ride paved the way for Hard Empire to score his second Stakes win in Saturday’s G3 George Moore Stakes at Doomben, adding to the imposing Australian record of his sire Hard Spun.
Having his first start for new trainer Toby Edmonds, Hard Empire enjoyed a comfortable passage on the rail before being produced late by jockey Brad Stewart to haul in the leader and runner-up Jonker and score by a head.
The product of Hard Spun’s days as a shuttler to Darley’s Australian operation which also produced the G1 winners Le Romain, Gatting and the South African Derby winner Ertijaal, Hard Empire took his tally to 11 wins.
The seven-year-old’s previous Stakes success came in last year’s G3 Irwin Stakes in Adelaide.
Hard Empire is from the Last Tycoon mare Last Quill and is the only Stakes winner in five generations of his maternal family.
Hard Spun will stand the coming northern hemisphere breeding season at Jonabell Farm, Kentucky at a fee of $35,000, stands and nurses
