Hong Kong Mile
Able Friend was off the course for four months before returning in the Premier Bowl at Sha Tin on 25 October. Carrying top weight over six furlongs he came from last to first in the closing stages to win by half a length from Gold-Fun. He then races in the Jockey Club Mile as a prep race for the Hong Kong Mile, but he disappointed the public by finishing only third. This raised speculations whether Able Friend could return to his best in the Hong Kong Mile in December 13. In that race, he had to face the challenge of the Japanese contingent Maurice, who won the Yasuda Kinen and the Mile Championship, thus generally regarded as the best miler in Japan of the generation. Therefore, the race has been built up as the battle for the crown of 'Asia's best miler'. Able Friend was found mildly lame with a sore off-fore hoof that morning, but was allowed to run after further examinations by the vets. He went past Maurice early in the straight, but the chestnut didn't sustain his run and Maurice fought back to win the race. Able Friend faded on his run so much he was also beaten by another horse at the end, finishing third. He hung out in the last 200M of the race like sore horses tend to do, which is suggestive that the lameness resulted in Able Friend's failure to finish in the way he can. The injury is most likely to be blamed for his defeat. It was reported on January 7 that Able Friend suffered from a rare tendon injury associated with the aforementioned lameness in the same right front foot. "He went into the Hong Kong Mile with a bruised sole, we kept him in minor work and the problem didn't resolve itself, " his trainer John Moore said, when he announced that his horse was sidelined for the rest of the season. The horse has been sent to a property in Australia on the Mornington Peninsula for rehabilitation.