A late call-up to the Hong Kong Macau Trophy (1,400m) at Sha Tin today for four-year-old Happy Era has seen trainer John Size as the man to beat in the annual interport contest.Happy Era (Vincent Ho Chak-yiu) was on the reserve list until Wednesday when the scratching of a Macau-trained entry saw him elevated to the field, and with his light weight and middle draw, he looks the horse to get the better of the David Hall-trained Solar Great (Douglas Whyte).With Whyte already committed, Size has ca

A late call-up to the Hong Kong Macau Trophy (1,400m) at Sha Tin today for four-year-old Happy Era has seen trainer John Size as the man to beat in the annual interport contest.

Happy Era (Vincent Ho Chak-yiu) was on the reserve list until Wednesday when the scratching of a Macau-trained entry saw him elevated to the field, and with his light weight and middle draw, he looks the horse to get the better of the David Hall-trained Solar Great (Douglas Whyte).

With Whyte already committed, Size has called on Ho, a winner of two of his 11 rides for the reigning champion trainer, to take the mount.

Solar Great, with four straight wins since his move to Hall this season, previously looked to have the race to himself getting weight off the other main chances, but Happy Era's credentials are at least as strong and there won't be much between them. Happy Era was a doubtful stayer at 1,800m last time anyway but a tough wide run ensured that his chances of winning the Classic Cup went out the window.

However, his effort for third in the Classic Mile was excellent prior and the drop back to 1,400m looks a positive for him in a race which should allow the gelding to settle and find the line.

The visitors from Macau have been first past the post only three times in the interport races staged at Sha Tin, with the Gary Moore-trained Viva Pronto the most recent in 2010 when he led throughout.

Moore will saddle up by far the best of the Macau horses in Absolutely Win, a quick horse and the only committed leader in the race but perversely also the guarantee of strong tempo.

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