Ng wants another win from Le Zonda before Group race tilt

Pierre Ng Pang-chi has two Sha Tin Group races in mind for Le Zonda, but the trainer wants further proof of the four-year-old's credentials when he returns to Happy Valley on Wednesday.

Le Zonda returns to 1,800 meters in the Class 2 HKEX Tech 100 Cup after completing his hattrick with a victory over 1,650 meters last month.

“It’s a more suitable distance for him, 1,800 meters. He’s in perfect, perfect shape. He trialed well the other day with Keith Yeung aboard as Vincent was not available, so he did all his work well. Looking for another good run, good result,” Ng told The Standard.

After going unplaced in his first six Hong Kong starts, Le Zonda came from the rear to win twice over 1,800 meters at Happy Valley late last season before completing his hattrick in the Class 2 Shek O Handicap (1,650m) under Vincent Ho Chak-yiu on September 16.

The latest victory earned Le Zonda an eight-point rise to a rating of 90, and he carries 123 pounds on Wednesday, four more than last time.

As his rating climbs, the program is beginning to dictate his options, bringing 2,000 meters into consideration despite Ng saying only last month that Le Zonda was not yet mature enough for the distance.

“Well, first we’ll target Happy Valley for the first two runs, and then we might look at the Sa Sa. And then we might go for the 2,000,” Ng told The Standard.

The Group 3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse (1,800m) at Sha Tin on November 8 is the first possible target, followed by the Group 2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2,000m) on November 22.

“He’s just been winning on the Happy Valley track. It would be very good to see if he goes to Sha Tin. If he performs like that again at Sha Tin, that would mean he is quite a special horse.”

Asked whether a good run on Wednesday would be enough to justify a tilt at the Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse, Ng had a clear answer.

“I think he needs to win. He needs to be promising, yeah.”

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓