On a day of thin races at Sha Tin, the CUHK Alumni Cup (1,200m) is no exception but John Size-trained Momentum Lucky looks to have the necessary weapons to hold the advantages in what looks a two-horse race, reports the Racing Post HK.
Momentum Lucky (Nash Rawiller) could not have been any more impressive winning his last two runs in Class Four over this course, running strong sectionals through the middle of the race to burn off his opponents then cruising down the straight well clear.
He looked to have plenty in reserve last time as he coasted home against what was an average bunch, it must be said, and paid the penalty with a 13-point rating hike.
However, he looks headed for better things than Class Three and could get a similar type of race shape to suit him again this afternoon.
Characteristic of all his three starts to date has been tremendous gate speed, which should see him able to cross the likes of Supreme Falcon (Chad Schofield), Numero Uno (Derek Leung Ka-chun) and Hammer King (Joao Moreira) and find the front on the rail.
Silvestre de Sousa won on Momentum Lucky two runs back from an inside gate when he led, then allowed his mount a breather around the circle, but Rawiller's tactics were different after using the three-year-old from the outside draw last time.
He burned off the opposition through fast mid-race sections, which meant his finishing sectional was not so impressive but it didn't matter as the race was already won.
It will be interesting to see which tactic Rawiller adopts today up in class.
Still, his danger Hammer King still has to show that he can run sectional times too - at least when he has to do some running early. In a very slow pace at his last two starts he has sprinted quickly and turned in a very slick final 400m last time, on paper, but that was very much influenced by the tempo and a quick glance shows that most of the runners in that race ran strong final sectionals for that reason. He has a positive in his stalking draw in gate one but we will see if a better tempo dulls his finish this time.
Benno Yung Tin-pang-trained Numero Uno may be the knockout horse at his first run over 1,200m for 18 months. His record at the distance is four starts for a win and two placings and an excellent debut when unplaced but Yung has persisted with him over longer trips where his finish is often quite plain. Not only is he back in trip, he maps to get a better run from gate six than has been the case from wider draws lately.