Back Dragon to rise to the Top in Year of the Horse Cup
EXPECT a huge crowd at Sha Tin in Hong Kong on Thursday as the Chinese New Year race day gets underway with an 11-race programme, featuring the Year of the Horse Cup (7.00am) over a mile.
This is the day when horse racing fans arrive at the track armed with all their lucky pens, keyrings, and any other auspicious paraphernalia which they hope can help them find winners to begin the New Year with plenty of dollars in their pockets.
One trainer who will be hoping the gods of fortune are finally smiling on him is Chris So. Despite having saddled 15 winners this season, the So team are going through a rough patch of late, with the stable not having had a winner since January 11.
A losing sequence of 59 does not tell the whole story, though, as a dozen of the stable’s runners have made the frame, and you can guarantee the popular 57-year-old trainer will be hoping the pendulum of fortune can finally swing back in his favour.
So will have high hopes his stable star TOP DRAGON can also have a change of fortune in the main event, having suffered plenty of bad luck in recent times.
The Australian-bred gelding continually found his passage blocked in the home straight when fifth in the Four-Year-Old Classic Mile behind Little Paradise last month. Although it looked unlikely that he would have beaten the winner, he would certainly have made the frame.
That form is the best on offer in this contest, especially with the son of Pierata racing off bottom-weight and against rivals who hold no secrets from the handicapper.
The likes of Encountered, Beauty Eternal, Soleil Fighter and Stunning Peach have all been tried and tested in this company without winning too often, while Gorgeous Win and Regal Gem have yet to prove they stay the trip.
Connections of Top Dragon, who have designs on him lining up in the Hong Kong Derby at the end of next month, have decided to bypass the Four-Year-Old Classic Cup on March 1 for this contest, and have hopefully made the right choice.
Later on the card, another Hong Kong Derby hopeful, SERAPH GABRIEL, will be a popular choice in the Red Packet Handicap (8.40am) over 10 furlongs.
The David Eustace-trained son of Saxon Warrior was transferred from Ralph Beckett’s stable in the UK after finishing runner-up in a hot handicap at Royal Ascot in June, with the sole intention of winning next month’s big race in the city.
His recent performance, when just denied by the smart handicapper Lucky Sam Gor, suggests he is reaching peak condition, and the step up in distance is a major plus.
In the same race, keep an eye on once raced LE ZONDA, who made a big impression on his debut behind leading Hong Kong Derby hope Numbers recently, and has jockey Zac Purton, who is still looking for his Hong Kong Derby ride, in the saddle.
POINTERS THURSDAY
Top Dragon 7.00am Sha Tin
Seraph Gabriel 8.40am Sha Tin
Le Zonda e/w 8.40am Sha Tin