From RACING POST HKConsistent David Hall-trained Familists hasn't had that many highlights since coming to Hong Kong, but the juxtaposition of a number of factors including a return to the Sha Tin 1,600m offers him a chance to produce another one in the Pok Oi Cup today.Familists comes back down to Class Two for only the second time in 18 months after doing much of his racing in Group Three events, where he has just found it too tough.The gelding is reunited with Brett Prebble, who has won four

From RACING POST HK

Consistent David Hall-trained Familists hasn't had that many highlights since coming to Hong Kong, but the juxtaposition of a number of factors including a return to the Sha Tin 1,600m offers him a chance to produce another one in the Pok Oi Cup today.

Familists comes back down to Class Two for only the second time in 18 months after doing much of his racing in Group Three events, where he has just found it too tough.

The gelding is reunited with Brett Prebble, who has won four of his six rides on the horse and finished a photo second to top-grader Zaidan in another.

Add to that the record of Familists over the Sha Tin mile, where he has raced five times for two wins and two seconds and you have a recipe for Familists to turn things around sharply in the feature.

At his most recent outing over 1,600m, Familists was pipped in the last stride of the Sha Tin Mile Trophy last July by Dan Excel, conceding 12 pounds to the winner who has since gone on to be a consistent player in Group One races.

Last time out, Familists was never in the hunt at Happy Valley in a particularly slowly run affair won by Aomen, and the circumstances of that race made it one for the garbage bin as a pointer to the future.

On paper, he should find this task a different kettle of fish, with Shiny Day, Enabling, Albiceleste (Weichong Marwing), and Real Supreme all horses who like to race forward. That may not bring a strong pace, but certainly an even one looks likely.

Hall has added blinkers to the six-year-old for the first time under race conditions, but Familists has frequently trialled well in the head gear.