Super Jockey has looked right on target to make his return a winning one and trainer Tony Millard can get himself on the scoreboard for the season in the Manawatu Racing Club Challenge Cup (1,200m) today at Sha Tin, reports the Racing Post HK. Millard has taken over the preparation of Super Jockey (Karis Teetan) after the gelding was without luck in three starts for Almond Lee last term.
His best effort came up at his most recent start in June, looking the winner until caught late by Millard-trained Sparkling B over this course and the five-year-old only needs to run to that form to be tough to beat.
Everything about his form in the mornings suggests he is on target to do that, with an excellent barrier trial matching motors with higher-rated dirt sprinter Lord Sinclair followed by some nice trackwork. Super Jockey was always with the leaders and made his run with the winner before Teetan let him coast to the line in the final stages.
The five-year-old is lightly-raced yet and has shown himself able to race handy when the draw allows, so he has the talents to take advantage of his good gate.
With forward runners in Happy Yeah Yeah and Regency Champion drawn the outside and inside of the barriers, a healthy speed should ensue and that should suit Super Jockey who can sit just off the front end of the race to the home turn before issuing a strong challenge.
But this is no one-horse race and there are myriad chances, with first-up Class Four winners Atacx (Dicky Lui Cheuk-yin) and Psychologist (Andreas Suborics) having the benefit of that race on many of their rivals.
Atacx was erratic winning but got it done and he drops sharply in the weights with the grade rise.