It has been a long road without a turning for Lucky Double Eightsince his arrival more than two years ago but the six-year-old gets a chance to break through for his first Hong Kong win in the Hebe Hill Handicap (1,650m) at Happy Valley tonight (Oct 22).
With two wins from three runs in Australia as a three-year-old, Lucky Double Eight (Brett Prebble) arrived at Caspar Fownes' yard with a big reputation and a rating to go with it and he has struggled to shake either.
Along the way, he has had his share of vet issues and niggles and Fownes has always maintained that Lucky Double Eight would take his rating well past 100 if he could keep the gelding in good shape.
Two starts this time have indicated that Lucky Double Eight is in form with two strong-finishing placings at Sha Tin and Happy Valley over 1,200m, and the fact that he is back to the races for his third start in a month tonight suggests that he is holding together well.
At his last appearance, Lucky Double Eight closed powerfully to run in-form Born In China to a half-length over 1,200m and the step up in distance tonight looks ideal.
He has run well over the 1,650m in the past, beaten only a neck by Secret Sham in Class One in April last year.
Prebble goes on for the first time but that is probably a good omen too as he has had such success with Fownes and Lucky Double Eight's owner in the past wearing the same colours on Lucky Nine.
And Lucky Double Eight has come up with the precious inside gate on the C+3 course that should enable him to take a box seat run behind what promises to be a generous speed with Fat Choy Hong Kong, Regency King and Twin Delight (Zac Purton) all regulation forward runners.
Goodheart Success (Derek Leung Ka-chun) looks an obvious danger with a light weight after doing a good job when runner-up to Fat Choy Hong Kong last time. (www.racing.scmp.com)