Life will soon become serious for the Dennis Yip Chor-hong-trained All You Wish, but the highly promising four-year-old should have the quality and the handicap advantage to overcome an awkward draw in the Kwangtung Handicap Cup (1,400m) today at Sha Tin, reports the HK Racing Post (www.racing.scmp.com).
Throughout his run through the classes for five wins from six starts last term at three, All You Wish (Douglas Whyte) never looked like he had been screwed down tight in his preparation and always seemed slightly above himself in fitness.
Time will tell whether that is just him or whether that is actually how we will see the best of him, but it gave the impression there would be quite a bit more to come when Yip does get serious with him.
With that in mind, it isn't difficult to see an immediate future for All You Wish looking towards the Hong Kong Mile but, if that comes too soon, then the Classic Mile against his own age will provide a nice platform.
Either way, he is on his way somewhere good and being in receipt of weight from more highly achieved older rivals looks an edge that should see him home first, despite the class rise.
The son of Thorn Park has all the right attributes to be a top class horse, primary among them a lovely turn of acceleration that takes him from the back half of the field into a challenging position in just a few seconds when Whyte lets him down.
If he is to measure up in the majors, maybe he will have to stretch to a mile distance at which he is yet to be tried, but that is no concern where he resumes at a trip where he has already won four from five.
His draw in gate 10 of 10 is more problematical, almost certainly relegating him to the rear of the field in Class One company for the first time and he could well need to get past every rival from the top of the straight.
Aashiq (Tye Angland) is a ready-made leader over Bullish Champion and Penglai Xianzi, and Angland holds the key to how quick they roll though his mount is not a stack-them-up kind of leader and the tempo looks even as a result.