Talented sprinter Domineer looked most unlucky not to keep an unbeaten record this season at his latest outing and gets his chance to put things right in the St Andrew's Challenge Quaich (1,200m) at Happy Valley tonight.
The winner of three of his 13 starts, Caspar Fownes-trained Domineer (Zac Purton) won on the dirt first-up in good style and should have made it two when being blocked for much of the straight when second to Exciting Dream last time.
As the leader on the rail weakened, there was simply nowhere for him to go until the final strides and Domineer made things close when he did get clear air. Only two of the horses right on a hot speed in that race held on to be close up at the finish, dirt star Access Years and Domineer, and Exciting Dream has since produced support for the worth of that form with a seventh, only three lengths from Peniaphobia in the Jockey Club Sprint.
Tonight's race sets up for a speed runner like Domineer, with really only himself and Ensemble regular on-speed horses, and a lighter pressure look likely.
Happy Yeah Yeah is the query - he did find the lead when he won his latest run, and has actually won three of the last four times he has led but those occasions have been well spaced during his last 18 starts over the last 20 months and he is unreliable.
Barring that, Domineer should camp on the out of form Ensemble, take over on straightening and get clear while his run-on pursuers are winding up.
Perhaps the pick of those could be Rainbow Fighter (Matthew Chadwick), who failed at Sha Tin over 1,400m in a stronger race last time but comes back to his preferred course, where he won four times last season. He has had excuses in three runs since a close fourth over this course in April and is two points lighter in the ratings.