Cruz can turn the tide
A rare opening-day blank for Tony Cruz carried into Wednesday at Happy Valley, leaving the legendary trainer winless through the first two meetings despite a record that usually has him among the quickest out of the blocks.
Since 2016, Cruz has trained 10 opening-day winners, second only to Danny Shum’s 15. He sent out nine runners at Sha Tin on Sunday and another seven at Happy Valley without success, but five of those 16 runners were placed and the market expected roughly one and a half winners from the group.
Only David Hayes has saddled more runners through the opening two meetings, 18 to Cruz’s 16, and there has been enough in the performances to suggest the breakthrough is close.
Sunday may be the meeting where Cruz gets on the board. He Was Me in Race 3 and Bright Mortar in Race 4 both leap off the page on current form, while three-year-old griffin Quantum Wukong steps into Class 4 after a pair of thirds. Cruz also combines with Zac Purton in the last aboard debutant Viva Prospera.
James Cummings did not get the fairytale start some may have hoped for at Happy Valley on Wednesday, but Day Day Victory ran well as his first Hong Kong starter and, with the first one now out of the way, the focus shifts to what comes next.
Cummings has always maintained his stable will become busier as the season develops, given how heavily it is made up of newcomers, but his second runner arrives on Sunday and is another inherited from a rival trainer.
Ghorgan recently made our five horses to follow for the season despite doing little in Hong Kong so far. The German-bred arrived two seasons ago on a rating of 80 after placing in the Italian and German 2,000 Guineas and the G3 Prix Daphnis, but failed to hit the ground running.
Last season offered a little more encouragement, including a pair of placings, and Cummings takes over Ghorgan on a career-low mark. He could hardly have welcomed Thursday morning’s barrier draw, though. Just like Day Day Victory on Wednesday, Ghorgan has drawn wide — widest of all, in fact, from gate 14.
Ricky Yiu Poon-fai was talking up the long-range Hong Kong Derby hopes for Victor Supreme late last season after the four-year-old put four and a half lengths on his Class 4 rivals over 1,800m.
There is a long way to go before March and Victor Supreme still has plenty of ground to make up on ratings before the Derby becomes a serious conversation, but Yiu remains encouraged by his progress.
Victor Supreme returns under top weight of 135 pounds in Sunday’s Class 4 mile and Yiu told The Standard he is “looking forward to seeing him perform again”.
“He’s done well in the off season,” Yiu said. “Trialled well”.
Vincent Ho Chak-yiu retains the ride and has made a fast start of his own while the market has been slow to catch up. Ho has ridden four winners across the opening two meetings against 1.35 expected by the market, including three at Happy Valley on Wednesday after picking up Jumbo Legend late.
Six Up Play
The Six Up ticket takes a firm stand through Races 7 to 9, starting with #5 Storm Mirror. He has shown ability in each of his three starts and two strong return trials suggest he has come back ready to win.
#1 Solid State and #1 Chill Buddy are also taken alone in the next two legs, which frees up the ticket for a wider spread in Race 6. That looks the most open race in the sequence, so all four selections are included.
There is also some added incentive on Sunday, with an HK$800,000 jackpot carried forward to the Six Win Bonus.
Race 5: #11 Better And Better, #10 Spirited Steed, #2 Kempes, #9 Road To Glory
Race 6: #8 Good Good, #9 Gorgeous Victory, #1 Victor Supreme, #7 Beauty Missile
Race 7: #5 Storm Mirror
Race 8: #1 Solid State
Race 9: #1 Chill Buddy
Race 10: #12 Nyx Gluck, #14 Flying Knight, #6 Run Run Smart
48 combinations, HK$96 at 20 percent
