John Size-trained Khaya left a few fingers burnt last start but the consistent five-year-old can put himself back in the good books by winning the Group Three Sa Sa Ladies Purse (1,800m) at Sha Tin today.
Punters have become accustomed to seeing Khaya (Joao Moreira) at the front of affairs, like when he led throughout over 1,600m at his first run this season.
But the gelding did not jump cleanly from a wide draw last start at that trip and Moreira had to make the executive decision to go back and ride for luck in the race won by Packing Llaregyb (Mirco Demuro).
Luck was in short supply, with Khaya not having an altogether clear path and, with the slow pace that preceded the run down the straight, probably had too much to do anyway. Nevertheless, he rattled off an excellent finishing sectional and looks suited by the return to 1,800m, where he has won two of three attempts, and Size has a great chance to win this race for the second year running after Endowing's victory last year.
Khaya, Helene Super Star (Matthew Chadwick) and Sunny Ying look the most likely leaders, with Same World (Olivier Doleuze) handy.
The tempo will come down to whether and how much his better-drawn rivals want to keep Chadwick out of the lead, but Helene Super Star is likely to persist and try to dictate the tempo ahead of Khaya and Sunny Ying.
While Khaya looked unlucky behind Packing Llaregyb, the Andreas Schutz-trained gelding is steadily making his way up the grades and still appears a danger with his light weight. The key for him, stepping up in distance now, is how much he misses Zac Purton.
Early on, the horse was overracing and spoiling his chances but Purton found the key to getting him to travel kindly, even in soft speeds. Demuro has to do the same at the first attempt although he should be able to get cover, which could help.
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