John Moore was surprised and elated by Rewarding Hero’s win over odds-on favourite Luger at Sha Tin yesterday, John Size probably not as surprised and would have liked to see things turn out differently and Joao Moreira made it clear that jockeys don’t have rear view mirrors.

In the gloom of an overcast and drizzling afternoon, Rewarding Hero, the horse who has often run brilliant sectional times chasing home the likes of Able Friend at the end of 1,600m, had his day in the sun.

“I thought Luger would win the race so, yes, I am surprised to beat him,” said Rewarding Hero’s trainer John Moore. “He did have excuses his last run when he got tangled up with his stablemate in the straight and we’ve seen him run well behind the best for some Group One minor placings. And he got a magic ride from Joao up the inside – the owner has felt that this horse had to make his run down the outside but I guess this proves that he doesn’t.”

Last year’s Derby winner, Luger (Zac Purton) was having just his second run in 10 months following a heart irregularity, having returned with a narrow Stewards’ Cup defeat.

Dropping back to Class One conditions he was expected to handle the opposition but Size said he had his concerns about the race as soon as he saw the field of six.

“They are a mine field, small races like that, because they aren’t run normally,” he said later. “I’m not taking anything away from the winner, who did it fair and square, but the difference in a field of six is that there’s no speed, the winner’s there inside Luger instead of standing him a start.

"Anyway, the main thing is that the horse hasn’t disappointed, he’s raced well, ran home in a good sectional and it seems he has pulled up well. So I’m happy that he is all right and he goes to the Chairman’s Trophy in three weeks.”

Purton said a lack of match practice may have contributed to the surprise.

“I know Luger’s better than that and he hasn’t had much racing lately – he’s just getting the hang of it again,” he said. “With the slow tempo, he got a bit keen mid-race, maybe that took a toll.”

On those occasions when Rewarding Hero has run well in Group One races, Moreira was riding Able Friend and not worrying too much about who was chasing him home so, having his first ride on the seven-year-old yesterday, he was probably the most surprised of all to learn how talented he is.

“I didn’t realise how good he is. He’s a lovely horse, he really let down and finished it off like a good one – while Able Friend isn’t around, maybe Rewarding Hero can pinch an even better race,” he said.

While Luger was odds-on, there were others backed to beat him with Tony Cruz-trained stablemates Multivictory and Beauty Only (Neil Callan) both finding market support.

Lightly weighted leader Multivictory held on for third but Beauty Only was comfortably beaten finishing fifth of the six and Callan said to forget the effort.

“I’ve ridden him before on a wet track and he just doesn’t go on it,” he said. “You watch him, he gallops low to the ground and doesn’t pick up. That wasn’t him but he lives to fight another day.”