Arpinati is still to break his maiden status locally but the former Italian gets an ideal set-up to do it in style in the Hong Kong Macau Trophy (1,400m) at Sha Tin today, reports the HK Racing Post.

 

The Macau horses held their own in these interport features in their earlier days but have not won a leg on either side of the Pearl River delta since Viva Pronto won in 2012 at Taipa and they haven't won at Sha Tin since the same horse shocked rivals at 100-1 in 2010.

That looks set to continue this afternoon, with two of the visitors found wanting last year and their new 'teammates' don't look to promise anything special. That leaves the way open for the Hong Kong runners and Arpinati (Joao Moreira) has been looking for just the right opportunity to win since his arrival in Hong Kong.

He was purchased for the four-year-old classics but, after looking a touch stretched at 1,600m in the Classic Mile, trainer John Moore abandoned that plan and the switch back to 1,400m looks ideal.

He was tried again last start at 1,600m and loomed to beat Luger but a combination of the winner's high quality and perhaps that last 100m of the mile conspired to see Arpinati rack up the fourth second of his six appearances.

He beat the rest of the field by almost three lengths, however, in the best performance of his local career.

As is annually the case, the Macau horses will ensure a strong tempo in this race but you can throw in Multivictory, Wonderful Moments (Nash Rawiller) and Super Lifeline (Matthew Chadwick) as forward-running horses from the local group to ensure there will be pace on.

Moreira gets the chance to sit Arpinati in midfield, working through to chase the speed horses as they flatten for the run home and he should prove too strong in the final 200m.

There are plenty with their hands up to be second choice but the style of race certainly suits All You Wish(Douglas Whyte), who is not the best of beginners and will likely take up a position towards or at the rear of the field before charging late.

Super Lifeline won the race last year off a rating of 94 and carrying 117 pounds so he faces a much sterner task today but he sat just behind the hot speed last year and kicked on, and his latest third running on Real Specialist also showed he is not just a one-dimensional leader.

Winning Leader (Brett Prebble) chased him home last year and has a chance to be there again and so too Wonderful Moments, who is in career best form and just looking for a race to break right for him. (www.racing.scmp.com)