from RACING POST HKwww.racing.scmp.comWah May Star has been a well-anticipated find this season, with connections doubtless hoping he will be in line for even bigger prizes next term, and the rising star can claim the Hong Kong Reunification Cup (1,400m) today at Sha Tin.From a highly achieved family but a touch backward, Wah May Star (Douglas Whyte) was an astute piece of buying as a young horse in New Zealand as his smaller stature probably accounted for a bargain buy sale price.The two previo

from RACING POST HK

www.racing.scmp.com

Wah May Star has been a well-anticipated find this season, with connections doubtless hoping he will be in line for even bigger prizes next term, and the rising star can claim the Hong Kong Reunification Cup (1,400m) today at Sha Tin.

From a highly achieved family but a touch backward, Wah May Star (Douglas Whyte) was an astute piece of buying as a young horse in New Zealand as his smaller stature probably accounted for a bargain buy sale price.

The two previous foals from his dam, Skates, had gone for AU$800,000 (HK$6.3 million) and AU$1.7 million as yearlings and Wah May Star was sold for just a small fraction of that. He then looked a horse of some promise as a two-year-old last term, winning his second griffin race but it was clear that time would see him emerge as a very decent galloper.

He has steadily continued to grow and strengthen up through this term, winning four races along the way to take his rating to 98 and trainer Me Tsui Yu-sak can already rest assured that Wah May Star has booked his place in the four-year-old classics, in terms of making the field. The trainer's job will be to get him to those races fit and well and ready to do his best on the right day.

Out of a place in only one of his 11 starts, Wah May Star's main attributes include a tactical ability to take a handy position and that will give Whyte options from barrier five, regardless of tempo, and the grey has even been in front at times.

He should be prominent throughout before showing the great attitude and toughness he has displayed to win four from six starts at 1,400m.

That toughness was on display in defeat last start, when Wah May Star looked to be struggling at the home turn on May 19, but then applied himself when the pressure was on and kept finding to run second, chasing home his major rival today, President Lincoln (Zac Purton).

Like Tsui, President Lincoln's trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing will have the Classic Mile, Classic Cup and Derby in mind for the former New Zealander.