Sean Woods-trained So Caffe gets the ideal chance to uphold the reputation of last season's griffins by keeping his unbeaten record intact in the Lung Hang Handicap (1,400m) at Sha Tin tonight, reports Racing Post HK.
The griffins who appeared frequently last term looked, to say it nicely, a moderate bunch, but the hope of the side is that young horses like So Caffe (Douglas Whyte), who appeared just once, are the ones with all the improvement to come.
There was plenty of encourage-ment to be taken from his win in July, when So Caffe only had to coast around to beat his 12 rivals without being asked for a proper effort. Thus, the fact that his performance was unimpressive on the clock was not the be all and end all of expectations for the Irish-bred gelding, who had plenty in reserve.
His two trials this season have indicated that he has returned well and So Caffe doesn't have the toughest of assignments as he takes on the open-age runners.
From gate three, Whyte should have So Caffe in an ideal trailing spot as Fashion Maestro (Keith Yeung Ming-lun) most likely pushes on to lead and dictate the pace.
Fashion Maestro was ridden forward at his last two outings over this trip in June and then 1,200m first-up, despite drawing wide each time, so gate four should offer him an easier chance to take up the front-running role.
His danger looks Caspar Fownes-trained Mighty K (Neil Callan), a winner on the all-weather two runs back in June, but very capable on the turf as well, as he showed when third to Berlini before the break.