from RACING POST HKThe Cumberland Handicap (1,400m) today at Sha Tin might not carry a trophy but it does feature a number of promising gallopers who could finish with some silverware by season's end, and Derek Cruz-trained New Greenfield may able to outshine them on debut. The Class Two looks highly competitive before the event and is going to be a race to watch many times over when it's done. It features a few very promising horses, and New Greenfield (Brett Doyle) put the writing on the wall

from RACING POST HK

The Cumberland Handicap (1,400m) today at Sha Tin might not carry a trophy but it does feature a number of promising gallopers who could finish with some silverware by season's end, and Derek Cruz-trained New Greenfield may able to outshine them on debut. The Class Two looks highly competitive before the event and is going to be a race to watch many times over when it's done.

It features a few very promising horses, and New Greenfield (Brett Doyle) put the writing on the wall for a big showing when he trialled at Sha Tin on September 3.

The three-year-old gave many lengths to the leaders before running them down in the final stages of the 1,000m trial with jockey Douglas Whyte sitting so motionless the Durban Demon looked like his mind had drifted off to whether he'd left the gas on at home or not. Agreed, that was flattering to some extent due to the fact that he was only running down Bullish King, who had gone very quickly through the middle stages of the trial and was lying down late and running a poor final section.

However, the final sectional for New Greenfield himself would not have been disappointing and the manner of the victory was really eye-catching. Derek Cruz's horses have come out running early in the term and, if New Greenfield is ready to produce some of his English form, he is going to go close and prove a very nice prospect for the four-year-old features early in 2012.

The most eye-catching line in his form as a two-year-old is naturally his fourth of six in the Dewhurst Stakes at 1,400m, beaten five lengths by the current British wonder horse, Frankel.

Perhaps just as meaningful was that New Greenfield beat home the second favourite there, Dream Ahead, this year's dual Group One winner of the July Cup and Haydock Park Sprint Cup.

And while those types of beaten runs in small fields flatter at times, New Greenfield's wins there over 1,400m had both been very good beating smart company.

For all of that, this race is no pushover. (ww.racing.scmp.com)