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| Staff Writer |
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Stepping up to his optimal distance on his preferred surface, Hongkong Great returns to his happy hunting ground this Wednesday (27 October) evening when he lines up in Class 2 Hebe Hill Handicap (1650m, dirt) at Sha Tin’s eight-race all-dirt fixture.
Seeking a fourth success over 1650m on the dirt, the former Chilean galloper is readying for his second run this campaign after being run off his feet over 1200m last time out.
Tomorrow night, he reunites with championship-leading rider Zac Purton, who has been in sensational form through October with 13 wins from five race meetings.
“Hopefully he can bounce back to the form that he was in through the latter half of last season, he had a nice pipe-opener over 1200 meters first-up, so he’s back to a course and distance that he enjoys and we’ll see if he’s still got it,” Purton said.
A three-time Gr.1 winner in South America, the 102-rater oozes quality some of which he will look to impose on rivals, just like he did when smashing Gun Pit’s 1650m dirt course record in May this year, clocking 1m 36.15s for the five and a half-length demolition job.
Although, this morning (Tuesday, 26 October) at Sha Tin’s barrier trials, Purton laced any optimism with prudent caution after the charge’s barrier antics earlier this week.
“The 1200 meters is not his right distance and he probably wasn’t in a comfortable rhythm or zone either, I’m just quite not sure if he’s still in the same form that he was at the back-end of last season.
The Lookin At Lucky gelding has three wins from 12 starts for trainer Danny Shum in Hong Kong. Before his arrival, the galloper won five times in Chile before transferring to the United States of America where he raced four times for no wins.
“The not getting in the gates it’s a stubborn thing, he’s not nervous at all, he’s just playing a game so once you get him in there he’s fine and once the gates open he’s good to ride, so we just have to get him in as quick as we can,” Purton said.
The six-year-old is one of three Chilean-bred gallopers currently in training in Hong Kong along with Panfield and Winning Dragon; between them, the trio has won a combined nine G1s – eight of which have come in Chile, while Panfield is the sole top-level winner in Hong Kong.
Winning Dragon is a new arrival to the Tony Cruz stable and has trialed once in his new home, finishing midfield over 1200m on the dirt earlier this month, while Panfield recently claimed the G2 Oriental Watch 60th Anniversary Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m), first-up while on a LONGINES Hong Kong International Races trail.